Therapy
by Katherine Shepard
Summary: Jeff "Joker" Moreau is treated to one of Yeoman Kelly Chambers "special" visits. What started out as professional interest quickly turns into something neither had expected. Rated M for adult situations and descriptive, tasteful erotica.
1. Part One

Early morning on the iNormandy/i was always somewhat boring. What skeleton crew the ship had usually kept to the lower decks, leaving the CIC empty. Only one person stayed put all throughout the night: Jeff "Joker" Moreau.

Joker lounged, half-between a doze and dreamy altertness, his half-lidded eyes staring blankly at the glowing orange screen before him. EDI was elsewhere -- for once -- leaving Joker to his own devices. Said devices typically involved illegal-in-most-galaxies pornographic vids, but lately they'd begun to sour in his mind. Before it had entertained him well enough, almost too well, but now? Joker sighed, shifting carefully in his chair. Watching the Commander share secret smiles with certain members of the crew had only served to remind Joker of his limitations. Normally that wouldn't've bothered him; truly, relationships of any nature were often the last thing on his mind. Being able to fly giant, state-of-the-art starships had always been his "kink". The gentle vibration of the engines rolling beneath his chair had always been enough. And that jerk when the iNormandy/i used a relay? Positive ecstasy. Of course, keeping the little strained groans of pleasure had been difficult to supress, especially when EDI was active. Joker had no doubt she'd question his actions with that obnoxiously-clinical way she had. Sinc e then, he'd reserved those special moments when the ship was asleep and EDI was elsewhere.

However, in his current frustrated state, not even his favorite vids were helping. Joker growled in his throat, his annoyance peaking, when the distant sound of the elevator sliding open issued from the rear of the CIC. Accustomed to the various swooshes and clink-clink-clink of the crew whenever they approached the bridge, Joker ignored it. It wasn't until he felt a hand on his shoulder did he jump, banging his knee on the underside of his console in the process.

"Jesus!" he managed through clenched teeth, clutching his wounded knee and habitually checking for damage. A figure rounded his chair and knelt beside it, concern plain in the pair of bright green eyes that looked at him. "Warn me next time!" he snarled at Yeoman Kelly Chambers, the Commander's personal assistant. Kelly had the decency to look abashed and hastily apologized.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Moreau!" she cried, waving her hands over the general region of his knees frantically. Joker could tell she wanted to help, but undoubtedly knew that any excessive handling of his lower half resulted in more pain. Instead, she continued to flutter helpless hands over him until he impatiently pushed them away.

"The hell you doing here, anyway?" Joker asked, the pain finally subsiding. "I figured you slept in front of the Commander's door or something in case she needed something."

Kelly laughed, a surprisingly bright sound in the empty cockpit. "No, Mr. Moreau, I do not sleep in front of Commander Shepard's quarters, no matter what ship gossip might suggest." She smiled at him girlishly. Joker smirked a bit, already impatient with the bubbly yeoman.

"So," he continued, "what iare/i you doing here?"

"I've come to see you," Kelly replied simply, standing and leaning against EDI's port. Joker was skeptical.

"Why?"

"Did you know I'm a counselor, Mr. Moreau?" Kelly asked, dodging his question smoothly. Joker stared at her, waiting. "Well, I also dabble a little in physical therapy. I've helped many people with their individual problems. I could help you, too. In fact, that's why I'm here."

"You're wasting your time, Chambers," Joker informed her with a short laugh. "Millions of licensed doctors have tried. Nothing's gonna help me use my legs any better than I already do. I've learned to live with that. Seems like no one else can, though."

"You misunderstand me," Kelly said calmly, unaffected by his rebuke. Joker's brow lifted. "EDI has informed me of some of your habits up here," she hid her amused smile when Joker groaned, a hand slapped over his eyes, "and has asked me to come and assist you."

"Wait." He was starting to catch on, hating himself for the familiar tingle in his groin as he looked back at the pert redhead. "You mean you're here to...?"

"That's right!" Kelly chirped, beaming. Joker felt a cold sweat beginning to slide down the back of his neck. Unbidden, a hot blush rose to his cheeks and he found himself looking away quickly in embarassment. iIdiot!/i he chided himself, mind straining against the reality of the situation. iWhy are you turning a perfectly hot chick down when she wants to handle your junk willingly!? GET ON THAT!/i Joker snarled internally, then glanced over at Kelly. She was still leaning against the port, her smile clearly suggestive.

"All right, all right. Say I let you do this," Joker started, flailing for logic in an completely illogical situation. "How do you expect to "help" me when I can't really, uhh, perform?"

"I'm flexible, Mr. Moreau," Kelly replied coolly, sending a shiver up Joker's spine. "I've had to work with harder cases than yours."

"I bet," Joker said meekly, swallowing hard. "So...how are we gonna...?" He gestured weakly at his legs, then back at her. Kelly soothed him with a warm smile, sliding away from the port and slinking back to his chair. She lowered herself to the floor fluidly, leaving Joker gaping at her. Sweat continued to pour of every available pore on his body, the anticipation mounting so rapidly he thought his heart would explode.

"Let's just turn you this way..." Kelly tapped a key on his console, sending the luxurious leather chair spinning towards her. She backed up slightly when it finished it's partial rotation, then repositioned herself between Joker's knees. "I know about your condition, Mr. Moreau. I will be most gentle."

"Awesome," Joker squeaked, so nervous now he was hating himself more and more by the milisecond. Then, to his great disappointment, Kelly rose and rounded the chair, her small hands sliding over his shoulders provacatively. The sensation renewed the shivers up and down his body and he sighed, lolling his head back against the headrest. He felt her remove his cap, heard it strike the floor with a dull ifwip/i. Then her hands were on his exposed head, fingers deftly massaging every available inch of his scalp. "Oh wow..." Joker breathed, relaxing further. She moved over him slowly, working down to his neck then back up again. He winced slightly when she ventured down to his shoulders.

"Relax, Mr. Moreau," Kelly whispered. "You're in a very good hands."

"That's nice," Joker murmured, only partially aware of her words. Fingers crept over his shoulders like little pressure appendages, finding every sore spot he never knew he had. He didn't object when Kelly slipped her hands down his sides and gripped the hem of his shirt, drawing it up and over his head. His skin prickled with gooseflesh at the sudden exposure to the cool filtered air, doubling when he realized she'd begun to kiss the back of his neck gently. A small gutteral sigh escaped his throat; he felt Kelly's lips curve into a smile against his skin. Clearly that had been the reaction she'd wanted.

She trailed tiny butterfly kisses over his neck: the back, the sides, just under his ear. He thought he might pass out from the tickling pleasure. And if not from that, then from the strain he clearly felt in his flight pants now. When her lips curled around his earlobe, he gave a very audible cry. Being a sorely neglected individual, Kelly was finding places on him he never imagined would give him such delicious pleasure. As she suckled his ear slowly, her hands found their way down his chest, fingers pinching and kneading the taut skin there. Like most people who were unable to rely much on their legs, Joker had kept his upper body quite fit, something the yeoman hadn't failed to notice.

"Such sculpted muscles, Mr. Moreau," Kelly cooed into his ear. "May I admire them?"

"Whatever you want," Joker groaned. Her lips smiled again, then left his ear. As she rounded him, her hands slipped across his wildly-sensitive skin, causing the pilot to stiffen in more ways than one. Kelly giggled, a soft, seductive sound that went straight to his groin. Her mouth touched him again, this time over his collarbone. Her hair tickled his chin, the smell of her permeating his senses almost painfully. She smelled like mint, a gentle scent that didn't overpower and instead made the room feel clean and open. Oh, how he wanted to be "open" to her. She could ask him to send the iNormandy/i into a sun so long as her tongue and hands never stopped.

Without realizing what he was doing, Joker gripped Kelly's shoulders, pulling her closer. Kelly giggled again, then gently removed his hands. "This is all for you, Mr. Moreau," she assured him silkily. "All you need to do is feel and feel and feel..." Her words grew fainter as her mouth traveled away from his collarbone, steadily moving down his trembling chest. Her tongue swirled in his bellybutton, causing his abdominal muscles to contract at the touch. Kelly admired the effect, murmuring her appreciation.

"You have such beautiful arms," Kelly's hands crept up them, nails trailing over his inflamed skin. Making contact with his triceps, she tickled him there gently. The following sensation was alarming and Joker snarled through clenched teeth. Not ticklish, but tormenting. The bulge in his pants had grown so big he thought he would explode through them.

"Jesus Christ, Chambers...!" Joker strained, his teeth still firmly clenched. "I'm not feeling very "therapeuted" right now...!"

Kelly's fingers stilled on his arms. When she spoke, there was a definite smile in her voice. "Patience, Mr. Moreau."

"Yeah, sure, whatever....!" Joker gripped the armrests so violently he felt them strain beneath his fingers. Her tongue had found its way back across his abs and her fingers were working over his nipples. She rolled her palms across them as her tongue dipped further and further down. Joker started when he felt Kelly's mouth against his groin, her hot breath penetrating the fabric. In this way, she teased him, moistening the crotch of his flight pants and creating such stimulation Joker felt he would erupt the second she exposed him. iBetter not!/i he snarled at himself.

Believing he'd suffered enough, Kelly deftly undid his pants, then reached inside to grip him through his underwear. As much as he loved boxers, the confines of the flight pants didn't really allow for much breathing room, forcing him to revert back to the boring briefs of his childhood. This fact didn't seem to affect Kelly; she almost seemed delighted to find such a thing beneath his pants. Her hand worked over him expertly, thumb rolling over the head at intervals so random he gasped with each pass. Her palm extended over the length of him, the heel touching his sac briefly after each downward stroke. He was breathing hard and fast now, lower lip firmly pinched between his teeth. If she kept that up, he would explode, and soon.

"Lift up, Mr. Moreau," Kelly instructed softly, her fingers now at the waistband of his pants. Joker winced as he hoisted his backside up and off the seat, Kelly's hands gingerly pulling his pants further down his thighs. His briefs left with the pants, completely exposing him to the cockpit's chilly air. Kelly took a moment to admire his thighs, dropping little kisses on his shivering skin. Her cheek brushed against his erection, tormenting him. She slowly raised her head, her lips coming up against him and lashing out a single flick over the head with her tongue. Joker was all but hyperventilating now, still fighting to control the orgasm that threatened to interrupt a perfectly awesome moment. The effort was not lost on Kelly, who took pity on him and enveloped his length inside her mouth.

Joker squirmed painfully beneath her, wanting to grab her but knew she'd just move his hands away again. Instead, he sat there, shuddering at each pass of her tongue across his shaft, at each pointed suckle at the head, and every soft caress of her hand over his sac. Her pace was slow, deliberate, agonizing. He loved it.

Kelly's mouth left him, replaced by her hands. She stroked the length of him, lips pursed against the head, her green eyes locked on his delirious expression. His sac had tightened considerably beneath her palm; he was close. She could feel the pulsing of the great vein on the underside of his shaft. Would she allow him to come this way or another way? The temptation to demonstrate her flexibility was great, but no. She would hold off. For now.

"Are you ready, Mr. Moreau?" she murmured against him. At Joker's jerky nod, Kelly smiled. Time for the finale. Gripping him in one hand, the other cupping his hot sac, she bowed her face over him again, this time focusing purely on the head. She pumped him swiftly, mouth locked on the head in a vacuum-esque grasp, as she manipulated his sac. She knew she would have to be cautious; any jarring movement would shatter his hips and ruin her therapy session. Holding her head above him just enough, she quickened her pace, delighting in the iNormandy/i pilot's adorably high-pitched cries. A pulsing shift against her stroking hand, a deft tightening of his sac, and heat flooded her mouth. She kept him inside her mouth as he emptied himself completely, unfazed by the texture or flavor of him. When he'd finally finished, Kelly leaned back away from him, one hand coming up to wipe a stray fleck of thick ejaculate from her cheek.

"Is that better, Mr. Moreau?" she smiled devilishly. Joker flopped his chin onto his chest, looking down at her through hazy eyes. The sight of her between his knees, fingers resting on her moist lips, her eyes taking in his naked form -- it just about caused a second coming. When her fingers disappeared between her lips, he groaned painfully. It took him a second to realize she'd swallowed; and didn't seem to mind it one bit. Smiling in delight, Kelly stood.

"Leaving me?" Joker quipped hoarsely. "Not even gonna help me get my pants back on?"

Kelly giggled. "Of course I will." She knelt down again and shimmied his flight pants back up his legs. She passed him his shirt when she stood again, watching as he wrestled it back over his head. "I hope you're feeling better, Mr. Moreau."

"One way to put it," Joker muttered, sliding a shaking hand over his bare head. He blinked, barely remembering when she'd removed his cap, and looked behind him for it. Kelly obligingly retrieved it and positioned it on his head again, albeit awkwardly. He adjusted it, smiling in sleepy amazement at the yeoman. "Do you do this for all of the crippled pilots in Cerberus or am I special?" His tone was light, though part of him hoped he iwas/i the only one. Such a perk made piloting for a bunch of humanity-comes-first nutjobs easier on the conscience.

"I'm pretty sure you're the only one," Kelly replied, one brow quirked in a teasing manner. Joker grinned.

"I can live with that."

Kelly took a deep breath, then glanced at her wristwatch. "I'm afraid I must leave you now, Mr. Moreau. The Commander will be awake soon and we all know how she gets without her morning coffee."

"Yeah," Joker agreed, hiding his disappointment. He could get used to this kind of one-on-one physical therapy. "Uh, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You plan on making a habit of this 'cause...well, I certainly wouldn't imind/i it, but try to keep it between us. Ship's got enough gossip, don't need to be part of it, that sorta thing."

"I understand your concern, Mr. Moreau," Kelly nodded. "As for whether or not this will become a daily session? I haven't decided that yet. However, you are always free to call on me should you need further assistance."

"Is that what you call it?" Joker chuckled. Kelly's smile was impish. "All right, all right, I won't keep you any longer. See ya, Chambers." He waved as she left the cockpit, watching until she'd disappeared inside the elevator. Alone again, Joker spun back towards his console and resumed his duties, outwardly unaffected by the recent event. Inside, however, he was grinning like an idiot.

"Cerberus ain't so bad..."

- cont


	2. Part Two

It didn't take long for Joker to hear from Kelly again. Their first encounter had barely made it past two weeks before he'd receieved an encoded message on his private terminal (EDI sometimes provided him with this unique service; about the only "service" she icould/i render him) from the yeoman, inviting him to the medbay the next time the ship was docked.

Such an instance presented itself shortly thereafter and Joker found himself limping towards the medbay, his mind racing between sense and the desire to see her between his legs again. He'd never had much of an opinion of the commander's assistant; he really didn't think she served any real purpose beyond to parrot "You have a new message at your private terminal, Commander Shepard" every time the commander's inbox beeped, regardless of the message's contents. An effective spamblocker Kelly wasn't. Maybe the whole assistant thing was a front for her real job. Like a dominatrix or something on Omega. Joker shuddered slightly at the thought. He could just picture Kelly grinding against a pole or shimmying her moneymaker on a table for some horny turians and human-curious salarians. He shook the image from his mind quickly, making a sour face as he passed a hand over the medbay's door.

Thankfully, Dr. Chakwas was elsewhere, undoubtedly hunting on the Citadel for more of her expensive brandy during the iNormandy/i's downtime. Regardless of the reason for the doctor's absence, there was Chambers, perched cutely on one of the examination tables, long legs crossed.

"Hello, Mr. Moreau," she greeted, sliding from the table and walking up to him. He averted his eyes from her face, which was alight with her usual enthusiasm. Seeing her so damned happy to be servicing his crippled ass made him feel guilty. He wasn't even sure iwhy/i it did. It just did. Still, being a man with special "needs", Joker couldn't argue that she was good at her job. Whatever it was.

"Yeah, hi," he brushed over her greeting and limped over to one of the tables. Why was she even bothering with the perkiness? He knew it was just her job to ensure the crew was satisfied in every way possible. He snorted inwardly. He could only imagine how many other people on the ship had experienced her unique "talents". Immediately, the guilt returned and he grimaced openly. Kelly noticed and cocked her head at him.

"Is there something wrong?" she inquired, advancing on him with concern in her eyes. Pity, Joker translated, his mind continuing to bubble over with pessimistic thoughts. Pity was always disguised as concern; how many girls had turned him down under the pretense they would hurt him? It wasn't any wonder why he preferred piloting: at least a ship couldn't pity him.

Well, except for maybe ithis/i ship.

"No, I'm fine," Joker lied, waving a dismissive hand at her. He carefully lifted himself up onto the exam table, grunting with the effort. Kelly watched his arms strain beneath his weight and blushed faintly. He really was beautiful. The best part was he wasn't even aware of it.

"So." His voice cut into her thoughts. She looked at him, the smile securing itself on her features again. "Why the medbay? Gonna try to fix me?"

"Of course not, Mr. Moreau --"

"Joker or Jeff. Pick one, just don't call me Mr. Moreau anymore. You sound like EDI."

"All right...Jeff," Kelly tasted his name on her tongue for the first time, enjoying the sensation of the syllables breathing across her lips. "And you can call me Kelly, not Chambers. I'm not a soldier. Jeff." She smiled, pleased to be at liberty to refer to him by his first name. She didn't think it would ever get old.

"All right. iKelly/i." Joker exaggerated her name, mimicking her delighted tone with more mockery than he'd intended. Luckily, she didn't frown. Instead, she seemed even more excited. He had to admit, though, hearing her say his name so precisely did go straight to his crotch. iAlways gonna be a guy first and foremost, I guess./i "Why the medbay?"

"It's really the only private place we have at the moment," Kelly replied simply. "I share space with other members of the crew and bunks don't make for very comfortable...activities. I would have asked the commander to use her quarters but I'm still abiding by your request to keep things private."

"Wait. You would've iasked/i Shepard to use iher/i room to service ime/i?" Joker was aghast at her boldness. Kelly nodded, as though such a request was commonplace. He'd never understand women, no matter how long modern medical science enabled him to stay alive. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, thinking of how forbidden it would feel to do anything remotely sexual on Shepard's bed. The thought joined the soundof Kelly saying his name, making an even faster beeline for his groin. He doubled over a bit, letting out a small mew of surprise at himself. iThat's messed up, man. Fantasizing about the Commander!/i

"Would you like to use the chair or one of the tables?" Kelly asked, breaking his internal monologue. He looked at her with his patented "Are you serious?" expression, something that went right over her business-minded head. He shrugged.

"Whatever?"

"The table then!" Kelly decided, bending over to gently grip him by the ankles. "Move with me now! Swing...up!" Joker did as he was told, lifting his legs up onto the table and scooted back a bit. She busied herself fetching a pillow or two to place behind his back, humming a popular asari tune under her breath. He watched her with the same level of amazement she'd always inspired in him. When she'd finished making him as comfortable as possible on the unyeilding exam table, she stood back to admire her work.

"Why do I feel like a table decoration now?" Joker asked, half-serious. "Just start setting Thanksgiving dinner around me: Joker the Centerpiece!" He arranged his arms in a "vogue" pose, making Kelly laugh outright. He felt his lips curve into a genuine smile, happy to amuse her. The relaxed atmosphere that had suddenly developed between them helped ease the tension in his back and he leaned against the pillows. Kelly leaned over him, her smile still present.

"I thought we would try something different tonight," she told him.

"Like what?"

Her response was to smile coyly at him, then step away from the table, her fingers poised over the zipper of her flight top. Joker watched, captivated, as she slowly drew the tab down the zipper's teeth, the lazy separation of metal on metal a surprisingly tormenting sound. He felt his throat go dry when she slipped her long arms from the sleeves, exposing a very feminine bra beneath her top. Her breasts were small -- not that Joker would've been able to judge cup size; women were either Miranda or not -- but appeared full, inviting. His hands all but itched to touch them. Would she let him? His tongue snaked out over his lips in anticipation. He discerned a small tattoo just over her left breast; he wondered what it could be and how it would taste, if tattoos tasted of anything, anyway. She had to let him get near them first. Thankfully, this didn't appear to be as much of a problem as the first time.

Kelly climbed onto the table, knees on either side of Joker's thighs, her breasts level with his flushed face. She cupped them gently, pushing them together for his approval. He managed to choke out a small squeak of appreciation, nodding dumbly with his eyes locked on the plump rise of her bosom. Up close, he could see the tattoo clearly. A Cerberus insignia. Normally, such a thing would've turned him off, but in light of the sight before him, he could overlook the blatant dedication to the company. He wondered briefly if the Illusive Man had handpicked her only after experiencing her talents? Lucky bastard if so.

"Would you like to touch them, Jeff?" Kelly invited with surprising innocence. Joker nodded again and lifted his hands, hovering over her breasts with his trembling fingers. Steeling himself, he placed them over her bra, jumping slightly when she purred low in her throat. Her eyes closed in unabashed pleasure as he began to slowly, tentatively, work his palms across her chest. Feeling a bit bolder, Joker pressed his palms over her nipples, swallowing when he felt them jump to meet his touch.

"Can I, uh, take this off?" he asked in a tight voice. Kelly nodded, then guided his hands around to her back. She helped him unfasten the tiny hooks, then shrugged the straps off her shoulders. The tiny garment fell from her breasts and she inhaled impressively. The effect was immediately arousing, not that Joker needed the encouragement. Bare now, they were very pink, flushed with evidence of her own arousal. iI turn her on?/i he thought in disbelief as he continued to knead her gingerly with his fingers. iDamn.../i

Kelly's cheeks were as pink as her nipples, her mouth working, biting her lips, licking them, breathing hard. Joker felt the strain in his pants increase and he grunted slightly. Sometimes raging hardons hurt; having a pair of nice boobs in his face wasn't helping, either. Well, he hadn't gotten that far just yet. The face in her boobs bit. Best fix that.

Joker leaned forward, carefully brushing his beard across her skin. She started at the contact, arching up sharply with a gasp. Encouraged by this, he nuzzled her cautiously, breathing in that eucalyptus scent of her and feeling his head beginning to swim. Her skin was impossibly soft against his face; he almost didn't want to do anything beyond sitting there with her breasts pillowed under his head. He knew that wouldn't happen, not when there was still a lot of skin left to see. He'd just have to coax her into removing the rest of that pesky flight uniform.

He pulled his hat off, tossed it aside, and drew her closer to him. He licked his lips once, drew a deep breath, then allowed one rosebud nipple disappear between his lips. Kelly gripped his head in her hands, cradling him against her chest, murmuring in small mewling syllables. Joker could almost hear his name among them and this furthered his bravery. He pinched her other nipple between his thumb and forefinger, rolling it between the pads slowly. She gave another cry, her face now bowed into his short-cropped hair. The hot leather-tinged scent of his hair excited her, her senses detecting the whiff of masculine sweat mingled in. She held his head fast to her, her chest rising and falling rapidly as his tongue flicked over her nipple in swift strokes.

Joker shifted his hands to rest at her slim waist, pushing down at the bunched up fabric there, silently begging her to remove the remainder of her uniform. Kelly placed her hands over his and guided him over her hips, the fabric drawing down. A matching pair of panties peeked from the band of her uniform, teasing him when he reluctantly released her breast to look down.

Kelly rose above him, resembling for all the traverse an amazon goddess in the artificial light of the medbay. She wriggled her bottom out of her uniform, kicking it aside to stand over him completely nude. Joker's eyes lingered on the curling thatch of deep red between her thighs. He could see sweat shining on the inside of her well-shaped thighs, smell the powerful feminine scent emanating from her. His head swam, drunk on the red-hot passion haze that flooded his brain. No way would she tease him now. He wouldn't let her.

Gripping Kelly by the legs, Joker drew her back down over him. She sat back on her heels as much as she could without actually touching his legs. Her thighs splayed in this way, Joker could see every glistening fold of her sex and he felt his erection tug insistantly at its confines. She bit her thumb in the perfect image of shy innocence, driving the point home. The attention drawn to her mouth, Joker found himself wanting to kiss her. He'd never been one for such things, but now? Now it was all he could think about, next to her being nude and all.

Joker jerked his chin towards her hesitantly, leaning forward as he did so. Catching on, Kelly bent to meet him. Just as his lips came within an inch of hers, she moved her head, causing him to catch her cheek instead. Feeling like an idiot, Joker smirked against her face as she giggled. "Sorry," she muttered sheepishly.

"Better be," he returned, placing his hand under her chin and angling her face back towards his. "Take pity on the cripple."

"Never," Kelly vowed even as their faces drew closer and he captured her lips with his. It was a gentle, first-time kiss, their mouths caressing the other's tenatively, searching for the right rhythm. Believing it was better to let her lead, Joker allowed Kelly to control the firmness and pace of the kiss. When she opened her mouth wide, he followed, matching her to the best of his ability. When her tongue crept into his mouth, he met it, albeit a little clumsily. If she noticed, she gave no indication and instead drew herself up against his chest, breasts pressing into his still-clothed body.

Kelly's hands slipped beneath his flight shirt, tugging it upwards. Joker reluctantly broke the kiss and removed his shirt, then immediately caught her mouth again. He enjoyed kissing her. It was simple, but carried a great deal of weight behind it. She seemed to like it as well. Or else she was a very good faker. He pushed that thought from his mind, focusing instead on the bare skin contact of her breasts on his chest. She shimmied closer to him, still making sure she didn't sit down (even if that's all he really wanted, brittle bones be damned). Their tongues darted between their open mouths, sometimes trailing out to lick the other's lower lip experimentally. Still, as pleasurable as this way, he knew it wouldn't be the only delight she'd offer him that night.

Kelly gave him a long, lingering kiss, then drew away to rest her forehead against his. His eyes remained closed, as though he was savoring the remaining sensation of her mouth on his. There were other ways to kiss, ways she wanted him to learn. Ways she fully expected him to enjoy. Immensely.

She brushed her nose over his, then stood again. Joker watched as she positioned herself closer to his face, his height ideal even when sitting. Green eyes met in silent agreement, encouraged further by Kelly's hand on his head. Joker lowered his gaze to her sex. She was still a little too high up, not that he would really know what to do once she was at the right level. Still, he'd seen enough vids to have the general idea. He swallowed hard over the lump in his throat, curled his hands around her thighs to pull her down slightly, closed his eyes, and leaned forward.

His immediate reaction was that of coarse hair almost poking him in the eye, quickly replaced by that tantalizing scent he'd smelled before. He brushed the red curls away with one hand, taking a moment simply to look. She was very, very wet; it was fascinating how much she'd...produced. He slid an experimental finger over her folds, his eyes widening when he felt her knees buckle. Well, that wasn't too hard. He dared a different approach, this time cupping her in one hand and massaging the heel of his palm against her. This caused another tremble in the yeoman's knees, followed by a breathy gasp. At least he was on the right track!

Joker dared a glance up at Kelly's face. She was supporting herself on shaking arms against the wall, her eyes closed tightly and her bottom lip firmly trapped between her teeth. iNice. I've got some control now!/i He smiled, pleased with himself, and returned his attention back to her sex. He wanted to see more, as much as he could. Releasing her legs, Joker positioned his hands over her abdomen, thumbs poised to pull her folds aside. She continued to quake above him as he did so, breathing out a low "Wow" at the sight revealed to him. The flesh beneath the concealing folds was a deeper red; he could almost swear she trembled there as well. No time like the present, he decided.

Kelly gave a sharp, harsh cry when his tongue made contact and she struggled to remain upright. He was stroking her now, with his tongue and fingers. The cautious movements turned her on even more; she wanted him. Wanted to please him as well, to feel him inside her mouth before finally inside iher/i. There was no way she could deny him that, not when she was so aroused she felt ready to faint.

"Wait," Kelly said above him, her voice shaking almost as violently as her legs. Joker paused mid-stroke, eyes looking up at her expectantly. She forced her mind back into focus, knowing the sight of him pressed against her sex would be enough to make this a very short night. "I want to show you something else. We can both have fun this way."

Joker finally released his hold on her as he leaned back. "Oh, I get ya," he said, wiping his chin with one hand. "I wouldn't object."

"Didn't think you would," Kelly murmured and climbed down from the table. Joker pushed his flight pants down his thighs gingerly, appreciative when she began to help. Soon he was as naked as she; he fought to keep from erupting then and there as she swung one long leg over the table. He repositioned himself till he was mostly laying down, Kelly now straddling him, her rear just above his head. When she took him into her mouth, he hissed sharply. Armed with the knowledge to make her do just the same, Joker pulled her bottom down till she was level with his mouth. With great enthusiasm, he resumed, bolstered by Kelly's own excitement as she bobbed her head up and down over him.

By some miracle of her flexibility, Kelly managed to keep her body just enough away from his to not cause him undo harm while still demonstrating the full range of her (achem) oral skills. Joker, however, was free to squeeze and pinch her rear without a shred of concern. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it, almost as much as when he plunged his deep tongue deep inside her.

On her end, Kelly was wasting no time getting him just to the point of climax. She wanted to finish the night properly, with him being enveloped inside her and the sight of their copulation burned into his brain. She already had a decent idea of how to go about it and silently thanked all of those leg exercises she'd done. She would need all of her flexibility and leg strength to pull this off. It wouldn't be long now and she felt the familiar clench of her inner muscles with anticipation.

After a few more minutes, Kelly removed her backside from Joker's clutching hands and walked further down his body in a crouch. Joker's pulse raced, thundering in his ears. She looked back at him from around her body coyishly as she hovered over his erection. His eyes were wide now, his lips parted and damp from her wetness. The sight sent another wave of pleasure through her and she lowered herself onto him with a deep, satisfied groan.

Joker's mind exploded. The heat, the softness, the...itightness/i of her, all worked together to increase his arousal even more and he began to fear for an all-too-quick end. Surely he wouldn't, not even with this! He buckled down mentally and forced himself to control the mounting sensation in his groin, wanting to enjoy this for as long as possible. He could tell she wanted the same thing, judging from the slow, deliberate rise and fall of her hips over him. Crouched over him like an animal, her rear ijust/i touching his belly -- if he kept looking he'd lose it completely. He laid his head back, eyes closed as flash after flash of sensation rolled over him. He wanted very much to thrust deep inside her, but held back, knowing the results would create the exact opposite effect. To his great relief, she seemed to understand this and buried him as deep inside her as she could without hurting him.

Kelly stretched out her arms between his legs, her hips still working up and down over him. Unable to resist, she turned her head and kissed the inside of his thigh. Joker's muscles tightened dangerously beneath her lips and she stopped herself with great reluctance. It was difficult, keeping her body over him and being unable to really hold him to her like she was used to. She craved his body over hers, his strong arms on either side of her head as he thrust repeatedly into her, of his insistant lips demanding bruising kisses from her mouth. The fantasy fueled an already heavily-aroused mind, causing the yeoman to moan loudly.

At that single sound, Joker tensed inside her and she stilled, squeezing him tightly. That final clench was all it took as he erupted with a strangled, slightly high-pitched cry. His body shuddered almost too violently; he gripped the sides of the table with both hands to prevent any incidental fractures. He could almost feel his bones wanting to give way and ruin the moment. He wouldn't let them, not this time. Brittle bones be damned, indeed!

Feeling he'd finished, Kelly pulled herself down the table by her arms, legs straightening as she rose off Joker's softening manhood. When she'd reached the end of the table, she gave a small grunt, then lifted her legs up and over her head. She landed neatly on the floor, then turned back to Joker. His chest was rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to reclaim his body from the potentially-dangerous orgasm. Immediately concerned for him, Kelly rounded the table and bent over his strained face.

"Are you all right?" she asked, gently brushing his short hair from his forehead. "I'm so sorry, Jeff, I shouldn't've pushed you this far so soon!" Joker rolled pain-delirious eyes to her, a tight smile on his lips.

"You kidding?" he managed, still shaking somewhat. "I'd risk any broken bone to do that again!" He winced. "Shit. Ow."

"Still!" Kelly insisted, continuing to soothe his sweaty forehead with her fingertips. "Do you need a sedative? Painkiller?"

"No, just a minute," Joker replied, lifting one hand from the table edge to grip her wrist when she made to dart away. "I'll be all right. Just takes a minute. I swear."

Kelly hesitated, still eager to ease his pain as she'd eased his tension. Then it hit her. Ignoring the pained grimace still on his face, she leaned over and pressed her lips to his. The grimace lessened under her kiss, his lips relaxing and becoming pliable. His breathing slowed to a more normal pace as he kissed her back, fingers creeping into her short red hair.

His face was more peaceful when she parted from him, their eyes locked. He gave her a lopsided boyish smile. "Thanks. For everything. And stuff."

Kelly grinned, relieved. "You're very welcome, Jeff. Do you think you could move?"

"Oh yeah, not a problem," he assured her with his usual cockiness, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "Oof. You pack a hard punch, Chambers. Sure you're not a soldier?"

Kelly laughed. "Only of my own profession," she winked. Joker chuckled, shaking his head. He took a minute to eyeball the location of his clothes. Kelly caught on immediately and set about fetching them, then helped him dress again. Once he was settled, she did the same for herself.

"I seem to recall you telling me you weren't sure if this was going to be a regular thing," Joker remarked lightly as the pair left the medbay. "Changed your mind?"

Kelly had the decency to blush, then shrugged. "I don't know. This really should stay between us. And as business." She added the last sentence in a low tone. Joker could've almost tricked himself into believing she was disappointed. Her expression certainly suggested as much, but he chose to keep his thoughts to himself.

They parted ways at the CIC elevator, Joker aiming to return to the cockpit while Kelly resumed her station near the galaxy map. They shared a long stare, ended by Joker with a small smile. Kelly returned it haltingly. Breaking the eye contact, she began loading her console in silence. Taking the hint (and hating it), Joker ambled around and away from the CIC station, his awkward gait taking him back to familiar territory.

EDI was alert when he entered. "Hello, Mr. Moreau," she greeted in her mechanical voice, teasing in its false femininity. "Would you like to resume control of the ship?"

"Yeah," Joker muttered in response, easing himself into his chair. "Yeah, I'll take the helm."

"Is something troubling you? You seem subdued this evening."

"Do I? Hadn't noticed."

"Are you ill?"

Joker paused, considering the appropiate answer. Finally, he just shrugged. "Don't worry about me. Has the commander checked in yet?"

"Yes, Commander Shepard is in her quarters with --"

"I don't need to know that last bit, thanks, EDI," Joker cut her off, busying himself with his control console. "Set a cruising speed, a nice one. Don't care how fast. Maybe we'll fall into a sun if we're lucky."

"I do not find that funny, Mr. Moreau."

"No. No, I suppose you wouldn't."

- cont


	3. Part Three

Joker rubbed his eyes with his fingertips tiredly. Another long, empty night on the iNormandy/i. They were coasting somewhere near Omega, presumably on the way to perform a mission for Samara. Shepard was sequestered in her quarters, undoubtedly unconscious or stressing over schematics sent by the Illusive Man. That woman never slept, who was he kidding? She slept about as much as he ididn't/i. Even with EDI there to take the helm when he was exhausted, he still felt obligated to be in the pilot's chair, out cold or not.

Arching his back gingerly, Joker grimaced when he felt his spine crackle in a few spots. Leather seats were still awesome, though he wasn't all that thrilled about his legs falling asleep all the time. He wasn't even going to mention how numb his ass got during long flights. Suffice to say, it took a good bit of wriggling before sensation was restored.

It had been awhile since his second encounter with Kelly. Two weeks to be precise. In the quiet hours like this, his mind tormented him with memories, resulting in a great deal of readjusting of his flight pants. However, that wasn't really what would piss him off. Physical frustration he'd always been able to deal with, but emotional? Forget it. He'd spent a good chunk of his life blocking out the pesky feelings of loneliness and self-loathing associated with his disorder. No woman in her right mind wanted a cripple. Life had demonstrated that to him multiple times. So, in response, he'd shut down that side of his consciousness. It wasn't to say he was completely apathetic -- he just had to be significantly more selective about what he chose to care about.

After the Alliance had hired him to be the original iNormandy/i's pilot, all of those repressed feelings of rejection had been pushed firmly to the back of his mind. For years he existed peacefully: just him and the ship. In many ways, the iNormandy/i was his body. It could do all of the things he couldn't. Turn, spin, imove/i. When the first SR-1 had been destroyed by the Collectors and he'd been grounded, it was like someone had lobbed his legs off at the knees. Useless though they were, they were still his.

Prior to Cerberus contacting him, Joker had reluctantly confined himself to using a variety of mobile-assistance devices: crutches, leg braces, even a wheelchair a few times when he was feeling particularly down on himself. Other times, he simply stayed home, wasting away in front of a computer screen and routinely, obsessively, checking his inbox for possible Alliance reassignment messages. When none came after the first few months of the Collector attack, depression had set itself firmly in his mind.

Insistent on mothering him, Doctor Chakwas had ensured he was close to where she'd been stationed. Joker had hated Mars. It was always very dry, dirty, and dark. The atmosphere had done little for his outlook, forcing the doctor to prescribe him with some anti-depressive meds. He'd take them -- sometimes. They never did more than numb the buzzing in his brain, the guilt of being the last one to see Shepard alive. To watch her die. The experience had forced him further back inside his shell of sarcasm and casual dismissal of things most people would've considered important. It hadn't won him many friends on the Mars base, not that he'd cared either way.

Joker drew a deep breath, yanking his thoughts from the past and grinding his knuckles into his eyes again. He needed a distraction. Glancing over at where EDI silently flickered, he said, "Mind the helm, EDI. I'm off to the head."

"Of course, Mr. Moreau."

Joker's console went dark as EDI took command of the iNormandy/i. He shifted his chair around and pushed himself out of it carefully. Damn, his good (ha!) leg had fallen asleep. This would be fun. He cautiously put his left leg forward, grunting when pain shot through it. Using his arms to keep his already precarious balance, he started down the length of bridge between the cockpit and the CIC main station. iState-of-the-art design and no John on the bridge level. So much for looking out for humanity's best interest./i

iI must look like a zombie./i Joker mimed being undead, more for his own amusement than anything else. iMaybe I should ask for brains next time I eat.../i He rounded the galaxy map and limped into the elevator. As it dove smoothly one floor down, he leaned against the wall, sighing heavily. The trip was short, for which he was thankful. Any more of this blasted alone time and he'd start flailing.

The elevator door slid open and he passed the threshold, making a shuffling right turn towards the men's restroom. An akward sight met his eyes when he entered. Jack, typically found in her hole in the lower decks, was just coming out of one of the showers. She acknowledged Joker's presence with an offhand "Hey" as she passed him. He pressed himself against the wall, both completely disturbed to see her naked and using the men's showers when the ladies' room was only a few feet away and how nonchalant she seemed to be about it.

Sensing his discomfort, Jack stared at him through narrowed eyes. "Got a problem, Gimp?" she groused, toweling her shaved head. Joker's surprise left him at the epithet, replaced by extreme annoyance.

"Yeah, yeah I guess I do," he replied, crossing his arms and doing his best to come across just as nonchalant as she. "For one thing, the hell you doing in the men's room? The girly one too clean for you?"

Jack snorted, grinning. "Cute. It's trying to be funny. Keep it up and they might let you do a stand-up act on Illium. Y'know, after this ship gets wrecked, too."

Joker's heart skipped a beat. "I might be a cripple, bitch, but you say one word against my baby again and things are gonna get real."

"I'm terrified," Jack dismissed casually, walking out of the men's room without a backward glance. Joker glared even after the door had closed. Shaking the hatred from his shoulders like a physical thing, he did his business and left as well.

Voices were coming from the crew quarters and Joker paused to listen in. He had a bed here, but never used it. Cerberus' cushy chairs reclined pretty well and were infinitely more comfortable than whatever military-issued cot could provide. His breath caught when he discerned Kelly's bubbly laugh amid the conversation. iShe sleeps about as much as I don't,/i he thought. For a second, he debated going in and saying hello. Then the agreement they'd made changed his mind and he started back for the elevator.

"Jeff!"

Joker looked over his shoulder at Kelly's greeting. She hurried over to him, one hand coming up to touch him carefully on the shoulder. A tiny jolt went through him at the contact; a jolt that went to the usual place, he realized with an inward grimace. Still, he had to admit it was good not to be alone anymore, even if just in the direct proximity sense of the word.

"What're you doing down here?" Kelly asked next. Joker jerked his thumb to the left.

"John."

"Of course, how silly of me," Kelly admonished herself with a little smile. "Are you going back up?"

"Thought about it. Not a fan of this standing thing, y'know."

Immediately, Kelly was abashed. "Then let's go sit down; no sense in straining yourself if it's not necessary." She looked up and down the corridor quickly, then pointed at the entrance leading to the starboard observatory. "Samara is with the commander right now, discussing plans for her mission. We could go in there for awhile, look at the stars."

"You mean you don't see enough of them already?" Joker deadpanned. Kelly laughed and impulsively laid her head on his shoulder.

"You're silly," she remarked softly, still giggling a bit. "C'mon. It's really pretty around this part of the Terminus System." She gave his hand a small tug, beaming when Joker allowed himself to be led to the observatory's door. True to her word, the Justicar was missing from her usual vigil before the expanse of window encompassing the majority of the room. Kelly moved them to one of the front couches, patting the space beside her after she sat down. Joker lowered himself onto the black couch carefully, stretching his legs out before him.

The stars twinkled out the viewport, oddly reassuring despite the knowledge that they never truly twinkled. Being out in the galaxy kind of killed that early on. However, this romantic ideal seemed to remain in Kelly's mind, for she sighed dreamily out at the expanse and moved a little closer to Joker's arm. They sat in silence for a few moments. Joker began to wonder if she'd been plagued with the same memories he'd had to deal with since their last encounter. He doubted it. Not much seemed to linger with her. What idid/i go on through that head of hers? What did she really spend her alone time thinking about?

Joker shook his head, scoffing at himself silently. This was exactly the sort of thing he'd spent his life trying to avoid. Getting involved with people always led to the same thing: pain, and he'd had enough of that to last about ten of Shepard's lifetimes. Even if he had asked about her thoughts, he doubted he would want to hear them. What if they didn't have anything to do with him or what they'd done? Was she even aware of what she'd done? What he'd allowed her to do? His mood dropped considerably, and he lowered his eyes from the viewport. Kelly leaned forward a bit, looking across at him in concern.

"Are you in pain?" she asked gently. Joker glanced at her sidelong briefly. He angled his head so the bill of his cap hid his face. Kelly waited.

"Can you tell me something?" he asked after a moment.

"Anything."

He looked back at her, his expression unreadable. "Why the hell does Jack use the men's room?"

Kelly blinked. She hadn't been expecting ithat/i. "Well," she began haltingly, "I suppose it has something to do with the fact Purgatory used communal showers. It's very likely the concept of separate bathrooms comes across as pointless to her. Why do you ask?"

"'Cause she was in there when I used it," Joker shuddered visibly. "Can't you do something about that?"

"Do you think I could?" Kelly was dubious. "Doubtful. I don't think even Commander Shepard would be able to change Jack's mind."

"Great." Joker leaned back, defeated. "Now I have to fear for my life even when I want to take a piss."

"I don't think she'd attempt to kill you, Jeff," Kelly shook her head. "Even with all of her issues, she really only demonstrates revenge against those who have crossed her. I don't think she'll consider your wanting to use the men's room an act of war."

"You didn't hear her," Joker replied tightly, his hands coming up to flex against each other. "She...she said the iNormandy/i would be destroyed again." Kelly gasped, genuinely shocked. "I almost forgot what she could do. I almost swung at her. Or I wanted to, crippled or not. I mean, is that funny to her? How messed up do you have to be to think watching your commanding officer and friend die in a fiery blast from a damn Collectors ship is funny?"

"Jack is a very conflicted individual," Kelly said softly, touching Joker's arm again. "Even with all of her talk of killing, she still looks out for herself. She wouldn't want to be on a ship that was just going to fail. My guess is she was trying to get a rise out of you."

"Well, it worked," Joker's voice was bitter. His jaw worked, clenching and unclenching.

"Jeff..." Kelly began to caress his cheek, starting when he pulled away abruptly. He rose and moved to stand before the window. She remained seated, watching him with wide, anxious eyes. His shoulders curved inward, evidence of the syndrome's effect on his spine. His left arm hung almost uselessly at his side, sending his posture off-balance. Her heart immediately went out to him and, unable to remain still any longer, she went to his side.

Wordlessly, Kelly gently turned Joker till he faced her. His head was downcast, face obscured by the wide black brim of his pilot's cap. At this angle, Kelly could see quite plainly the effects of the syndrome on his body. He appeared a rag doll, a broken marionette suspended on partially-severed strings manned by a careless master. His shoulders were broad, but they too were positioned awkwardly, his arms shifting in vain attempts to find comfortable angles. He seemed to favor his left leg, putting the majority of his weight on his right. Every part of her wanted to reach out and hold him close, to feel that vulnerability that permeated his figure now. Would he turn her away again? It was hard to tell. Even with all of her skills, Kelly had always failed a little when it came to reading the iNormandy/i's pilot. She'd shared herself with him in every physical way possible, bringing them together in the most primal of ways, and still she knew nothing of the mind within.

His psyche profile revealed only what he'd wanted it to reveal. A master at avoiding uncomfortable situations, Joker had eluded the many probing questions Cerberus' mental wellness operatives had barraged him with. The barest of hints regarding his true mental state were listed, but Kelly had a feeling even they were wrong. She knew he'd been eager to fly again regardless of who was writing the checks. That demonstrated a kind of self-reliance, something she could understand coming from someone of his medical background. The need for independence was always sharper in those with physical handicaps. Only they understood the true gift their bodies offered, even when they didn't work properly.

And in Joker's case, his "body" had been taken from him during the first Collectors attack two years prior.

Kelly could only show him the basest wonders of his living body; he still had to live in it day in and day out, forever reminded of his limitations whenever he dared leave the cockpit. Lying down and having a woman do all of the work for you was simple. No real effort required there. Still, that, too, had to bother him in some capacity.

Ignoring the possibility he would turn her away again, Kelly placed her fingertips beneath his chin and lifted his face to hers. His green eyes were overshadowed by his remarkably long eyelashes (any woman in her right mind would be envious of their length; Kelly knew she was) and they stared into hers with a kind of numbness. Calmly, she removed his hat and tossed it onto the nearest couch. He remained quite still, shifting only when his legs began to give way beneath him.

Her eyes fell to his mouth, which was set in a grim line. She recalled how much he'd seemed to enjoy kissing her and inclined her head. He didn't react at first when their lips made contact, but after a second or so of patient deliberation, he tentatively kissed her back. Kelly drew him closer to her, wrapping her arms about his neck even as his came up to embrace her about the waist. Due to his inability to stand upright, the kiss was a bit clumsy, not that Kelly minded. If he was healthy, he wouldn't be Jeff Moreau. He wouldn't be the man she'd foolishly come to care for, despite her insistence on keeping it professional.

Dammit...

Pushing the negativity from her mind, Kelly gently guided Joker back toward the couches. He didn't pull from her even when she'd lowered him onto the leather cushions, seeming to want to keep the kiss going for as long as possible. They stretched out side by side on the wide sofa, the kiss remaining unbroken. Kelly carefully coiled her leg around one of his, wincing when he did, but thankful when he didn't try to break contact. If they were careful, things could go as normally as possible. Except for the one thing Kelly had been wanting ever since beginning this venture.

Or so she'd suspected.

Joker broke the passionate kiss and lifted himself up onto an elbow, looking down at her. His eyes were still fairly expressionless, mouth still angled downward in that apathetic frown, but Kelly didn't feel he was rejecting her at all. Instead, he seemed to be contemplating something. Absently, he pushed her bangs from her forehead, traced her cheek, jaw, the outline of her lips, all with a single fingertip. The intimate contact made her shiver, beyond aroused to have him looking down at her.

"Can you support me?" he asked suddenly, his voice very quiet. It took Kelly a moment to discern his meaning; when she did, she blushed and nodded.

"I...I think so."

"Good." Joker bent down to kiss her again, this time a bit more aggressively. Waves of heat passed through Kelly's body as she began to understand what was about to happen. But was it safe? Would he get hurt? Would his bones break? She knew voicing these concerns would be a bad idea and undoubtedly would lead to his leaving, insulted. Instead, she chose to put her trust in him to know his own limitations and lost herself in the intensity of his kiss.

She felt him slide a hand up her top, breathing in hard when he brushed against her breast. He found the zippers that would open the uniform's top, pulling them down even as he continued to passionately kiss her. Her top fell open, revealing the same feminine bra she'd worn the last time. Only now did Joker pull away from her bruised lips, bowing his head past hers and beginning to kiss and suckle at her neck. His beard tickled her skin deliciously and she angled her head towards him unconsciously. His wide hand made contact with her right breast through the flimsy fabric of her bra and she arched to meet him.

It didn't take long for Joker to dispose of the scrap of lingerie, nor of Kelly's flight top. Both were dropped to the floor, replaced by his insistent lips and tongue traveling all over her breasts, collarbone, and neck. Kelly's heart thundered in her chest as she held him to her, her thighs capturing his between them and holding it just enough to feel his muscles pressing against her sex. She pushed her pelvis down on his muscular thigh, savoring the conflicting sensations of the restrictive fabric of her flight pants and the subtle ridges of his own. He grunted abruptly mid-suckle, causing her to relent. Lost in the passion haze, it was easy to forget his disability. Not a wise thing to neglect, she chided herself briefly. No matter how good it felt.

Still, this seemed to trigger a new course of action in Joker's mind. His tongue still tormenting her right nipple, he gave his trapped thigh a little jerk, forcing Kelly to release him. With his hand, he pressed against her hip, guiding her onto her back. Kelly did as she was instructed, her mind reeling with the possibility of his next move. He didn't disappoint.

The hand that had urged her onto her back now snaked down the inside of her thigh, thumb dangerously close to her center. She gave a sharp half-hiss, half-cry when he cupped her in his palm, working over her with varying degrees of pressure and precision. She knew the moment she lost those damned pants he would notice how wet she was. She wanted him to know. Sometimes, just being in his presence caused her thighs to clench and her sex to quiver. He'd been remarkably adept at pleasing her despite his psyche profile hinting at limited sexual experience. Just one more thing Cerberus mental-wellness officials had gotten wrong.

More eager than she'd ever been, Kelly hastily pulled at her pants, forcing them over her hips and thighs. They stopped just above her knees, allowing Joker full access to the very thing she wanted him to touch. Immediately, his hand disappeared between her thighs again, followed by a low grunt that was muffled by his mouth on her neck. He noticed, Kelly realized with a lewd grin. His fingers pushed into the gap created by her opening, probing her gingerly. Kelly wanted to open her legs further but was hampered by her pants. Again. She'd have to lose them completely eventually. And so would he.

Encouraged by the sight of him nude again, Kelly jerked at the hem of his flight top till his taut belly was exposed. She caressed him there, savoring the slopes and valleys of his sculpted abdominals beneath her questing fingers. Joker licked the length of her neck, then captured her lips again. Kelly felt she could sense the need for independence manifesting in his kisses, his desire to be dominant for once. She had no problems letting him. However, she did take issue with his being mostly clothed.

"Jeff," Kelly whispered huskily into the kiss. He grunted a response, biting her bottom lip lightly. "I want to see you."

"'M right here," he insisted, mouth now traveling over her face quickly before returning to her lips. Kelly couldn't help but chuckle a little and gripped his jaw in one hand, forcing him from her. He stared at her with disappointment; even whimpered a little. "The hell?" he whined.

"Get naked," Kelly instructed firmly. "Now."

"Yes, ma'am."

Kelly sat up to assist him, controlling her excitement so as not to fracture his arms or damage some ribs. As he wrestled with his pants, she discarded her own, then grabbed both pairs and hurled them to the floor. Joker shivered as they joined again. "Jesus, it's cold in here!" he chattered, pulling in on himself. Kelly bumped his chin with her nose playfully.

"Then we better make it hot," she purred, eyes staring into his seductively.

"Ohhhh, iyes/i, ma'am!" Joker returned, kissing her passionately. Their hands slipped, dipped, and caressed each other's bodies, finding all possible erogenous zones with their fingers. Kelly reached between them and gripped Joker firmly, causing the pilot to groan into their kiss. His hand followed her lead, cupping her sex once more, this time allowing his middle finger to slip inside her. She jerked at the sudden invasion, moaning against his lips. After a few thrusts of the one, he let his ring finger join the middle, causing the yeoman to break the kiss so she could throw her head back in ecstasy. Taking advantage of this position, Joker nipped at her exposed throat, his fingers continuing to work inside her. He could feel himself throbbing in her grip and knew it wouldn't be long now.

"How we gonna do this?" Joker asked hoarsely, mind already half-blinded by pleasure, making clear thinking difficult. Kelly rode his hand before she managed to choke out a response from her parched throat.

"There are a few -- oh God right there -- positions I can think of," she gasped. "There's spooning, missioniary/i --" Kelly's voice peaked briefly when Joker's fingers found a particularly nice spot, "but that might be hard for you."

"Want to try," Joker replied, his voice equally forced from a dry throat.

"Which?"

"Mission -- iaaargh/i, don't ido/i that when I'm talking!" Joker snarled through clenched teeth when Kelly's thumb had grazed the head of his erection swiftly.

"Sorry. Payback," Kelly grinned drowsily. "Are you sure?"

"If we don't do this soon, I'm not gonna be able to do it at all."

"Fair enough."

Both withdrew their hands as Kelly helped Joker shift till he was mostly above her. He supported himself with his arms, sweat pouring down his face from the strain of straightening his legs between hers. She held his hips gently, supporting him as she opened her thighs a bit more and positioned them at his sides. In this way, she switched support from her hands to her legs, holding his upper body as best she could to alleviate some of the strain off him. His face relaxed and he shifted till he was on his elbows. Kelly kept her eyes locked on his as she reached under him and grasped him again. He shivered as she used her thighs to guide him closer to her, her hand positioning him at her opening. When the tip was just between her folds, Kelly gave a nod. Joker took a deep, steadying breath, then pushed into her, guided once more by her strong thighs at his sides.

Immediately, Kelly arched up, sighing as she had in the medbay when they'd first joined. Joker's head was between her neck and shoulder as he settled himself atop her. Squeezing him slightly with her thighs, Kelly urged him to begin moving. With another deep inhalation, Joker pulled a few inches out of her, then back in again. He winced a bit when the pressure of her thighs pinched his ribs, careful not to instinctively break from her to prevent fracturing his ribcage. She was trying to help him; he could handle a few twinges of pain, especially if that pain would soon be overshadowed by the pleasure currently building in his erection.

It took a few halting tries before he found a comfortable enough rhythm, one that was considerably slower than when she was in control. Still, Kelly kept her gaze locked with his, silently encouraging him to try. When she placed a hand on his cheek, Joker turned to press his lips to her palm, eyes closing. The simple action coaxed Kelly's initial orgasm more than anything he could've done, biting her lip as the first waves washed over her. Joker's eyes popped open when he felt her grip him. His right eye twitched a bit as the undulating waves of her inner muscles began to subside.

"Damn..." he breathed. "Gonna have to tell me what I did."

"Another time," Kelly promised, encircling her arms around his neck and drawing him down for a kiss. He jerked inside her, his hips beginning to push forward again. Using upward thrusting, rolling motions, Joker found a steady, comfortable pace that didn't cause him much pain. All he wanted was to feel her around him for as long as possible, in that captivating warmth she seemed to radiate even when they weren't doing it.

iShit, Moreau, you're a downright sucker for this girl...when did that happen?/i

Lost in the kiss, Kelly's thighs left his sides as she hooked her ankles behind his rear, driving him deeper inside. Joker pressed himself on top of her a bit more urgently, encompassing her smaller frame in his stockier bulk. The sensation of her small breasts rubbing against his chest was amazing, shifting beneath him as he thrust into her. He felt her fingers on he back of his head, nails sliding through his short-cropped hair. He entwined his hands into her hair as well, gripping the back of her head to press his mouth more forcefully over hers.

After many deep, rolling thrusts, Joker felt her clench around him again. This time, rather than supressing it, he allowed it to coax his own climax. It was a quieter one than the last time, spilling into her almost lazily. She sighed dreamily, lolling her head to the side, smiling when he dropped small, delicate kisses on her exposed ear. They lay joined long after Joker had calmed down, absently nudging each other's chins with their noses or nuzzling their cheeks together like a pair of contented kittens.

"Mm," Joker murmured against her ear before kissing it again. "Think Samara'll be gone for awhile?"

"Hard to say," Kelly replied sleepily. "Why?"

He turned her face to his and kissed her slowly. "No reason."

"Liar..."

Joker shrugged his eyebrows and Kelly giggled. She wrinkled her nose up at him in response, causing him to chuckle lazily. "Okay, you got me there. Call me a romantic, but I kinda like it like this. Room's not cold anymore, at least."

"I would hope not!" Kelly laughed. "I think we put off enough body heat to run an FTL drive!"

"I'd stick to being a head shrinker," Joker quipped. "You have no idea how ships work." She giggled again. "Speaking of which..." He grunted, lifting himself off her akwardly. She helped him sit back against the couch cushions before he spoke again. "EDI's got the helm, but I should be up there, anyway." He eyed her thoughtfully. "Can I ask you something?"

"Only if it doesn't involve Jack and men's rooms."

"Did you ever think about...well...ithis/i before tonight?"

Kelly feigned intense concentration, complete with comical contortions of one eye and her tongue poking out from between her lips. Joker waited, partially wondering how she managed to do that. Her face resumed its normal chipper appearance after a moment. "How do you think I got through those two weeks?" He shook his head, not following. "Of course I did. I mean, how couldn't I?"

"Not my point," Joker reminded her, accepting his shirt when she passed it to him. She waited until his head had popped up through the collar before speaking.

"I know what you're asking, Jeff, and I'm telling you that I have thought about it. Probably more than I should've." She shrugged weakly. "I won't lie to you: things are getting serious, both between us and the commander's mission. I suppose my question is, what are we going to do now?"

Joker was silent as he replaced his cap. His fingers lingered on the brim as he thought. "You don't want to keep this professional anymore? Is that what you're asking?"

"I suppose I am," Kelly replied quietly, lowering her eyes. He was still pensive when she looked up again. "What are you thinking?"

A slow smile curled one side of his mouth. A sad smile. "What I always do. That things are gonna fall apart. That this ship is gonna get blown to bits like the last one. That I'm gonna be grounded again. That I'll turn into...ithat/i again." He inhaled deeply, shakily. "I can't do that again, Kelly. I can't lose myself again."

"I'm not sure I understand?"

Joker tried to ignore the little girl quality of her voice as he wrestled to put his thoughts in order. He knew what he said next would make or break whatever they'd created. Sex was one thing, but emotions? Totally different ballpark. He wasn't sure if he was ready to step up to plate, no matter how amazing the woman was. But how could he explain that to her without ruining everything? He dared a glance at her. iAw shit.../i he hastily looked away. Her expression was so vulnerable, so afraid he didn't know if he could finish.

Frustrated at the situation, but mostly at himself, Joker hoisted himself up and away from the couch. He adjusted his cap hastily, a nervous habit he'd adopted when a situation had become too intense for him to process. "I have to get back to the helm," he said hurriedly, limping quickly to the observatory door.

"Jeff!" Kelly called behind him. He paused, his hand just over the flickering green console in the center of the door. He could hear the desperation in her voice, doubling his self-loathing. "Please, don't leave! Don't leave me to draw my own conclusions!"

"I'm sorry, Chambers. I can't deal with this right now," Joker murmured pathetically, waving his hand over the panel and hobbling out of the observatory, her cries for him to wait cut across when the door swished closed again. Detected, Joker limped to the elevators, head down and mood black.

iYou're an asshole.../i

-cont


	4. Part Four

Joker yawned widely, finger on the launch trigger. During the downtimes, Shepard insisted Joker mine unknown planets for important resources, a thoroughly dull and dry task. Still, it helped take his mind off of more obnoxious matters. Notably his abstract rejection of Chambers.

At the memory of his limping out of the observatory, Joker scowled, punching the launch control a little too violently. The pressure caused his finger to fracture slightly and he instinctively put it into his mouth, hissing from the pain.

"I have the suspicion you launched at least five probes that time, Mr. Moreau," EDI remarked blandly to his left. Joker ignored her, still nursing his wounded finger. Rummaging about the underside of his chair, he unearthed the small stash of medi-gel he kept for emergencies and put a bit of it on his finger. The pain subsided as he wound some gauze about it to keep it straight while the medi-gel did its thing, his mind reluctantly returning to that ill-fated night.

He hadn't meant to just walk out, but what else could he have done? Tell her he was terrified of getting close to someone, anyone? There was a reason he preferred the solitude of the cockpit: no people, no distractions, and definitely no connections. EDI's presence on the ship had rankled more than he'd originally let on, not that he would've ever mentioned it to the commander. Having EDI's flickering, bright blue spherical self constantly looking over his shoulder had given him the distinct impression of having his mom on-board. Thankfully, being an AI, EDI would probably be the last, err, person, wanting to form some kind of super-special bond.

iOkay, that was a bit harsh./i Joker grimaced, resting his bandaged finger gingerly on the console and using his middle finger to launch more probes. He watched as they sailed out into the darkness before their scans revealed themselves on his screen. The repetitive process was hypnotic, so much so he failed to hear the footsteps behind him.

"Hello, Jeff."

At Kelly's voice, Joker twisted in his chair, alarmed. "Chambers," he stammered. If she felt any disappointment at being referred to by her surname, she gave no indication. Her expression was very solemn, however. Joker averted his eyes from hers when they began to search too earnestly across his face, possibly looking for signs of regret. "Can I...can I help you with something?" The question was weak and poorly-chosen. Kelly's expression shifted minutely before folding back into its somber lines.

"I felt the ship quaking and figured you were awake," Kelly replied quietly. The quaking she referred to was the force of the probes being hurled at the planets; the iNormandy/i always gave a sharp jerk whenever he was out mining for materials. She continued to stare at him, features still fairly unreadable. He felt like an ant under a magnifying glass, slowly being scorched to death by some obnoxious little brats. iThose green eyes sure can burn a hole in a person.../i he observed with some timidity. If she were angry, he certainly couldn't blame her. Yet, everything in her posture demonstrated she wasn't angry so much as...sad?

iChrist, now I'm reading people!/i

"Yeah. Yeah, just hollowing out more planets for the cause," Joker said, hoping she wouldn't bring up their last encounter. "Why're you awake?"

"I'm a night owl. People often let their guard down the most in the late hours. It helps me do my job better," Kelly explained, moving to step further inside the cockpit. She positioned herself between him and EDI's port, precisely where she'd been the first time. Joker swallowed thickly, hoping she wouldn't notice the nervous bobbing of his Adam's apple. Yet, rather than relaxing, she stood there with her arms crossed loosely under her breasts. Yet another thing he couldn't really blame her for.

"You haven't come to do a psyche evaluation or anything on me, right?" Joker grinned, deferring to his natural defense of humor and sarcasm. Kelly didn't react, only continued to stare at him with those searching green eyes. Strange Joker had never noticed they both had green eyes. Well, not strange. He didn't really pick up on things like that. Not normally, anyway.

"That's your only coping mechanism, isn't it?" Kelly murmured, finally lowering her gaze. "First you avoid the issue, then you deflect it. How did I not pick up on this before?"

"Look, Chambers," Joker began hurriedly, "You're the one who wanted to keep it professional. I was just going by your rules."

"You know damn well that changed!" Kelly flashed suddenly. Joker's eyes widened. iShe's been spending too much time with the commander!/i "It's been a few days and I've been doing a lot of thinking. You know there are no rules or regulations regarding personal relationships on a Cerberus vessel."

"This isn't a Cerberus vessel," Joker corrected her sharply. "This is the iNormandy/i and the iNormandy/i has always been Shepard's ship. I don't care if the Illusive Man shat it out of his ass; the second we named it, it became our home. We don't go by whatever rules Cerberus puts down. They're a bunch of fanatical revolutionists who think humanity should be on top of the galactic ladder. What Cerberus doesn't understand is none of this would've been possible without the discovery of the Prothean ruins on Mars. No way would mankind have been able to get this far on its own. Humans are too afraid of this kind of exploration.

"So yeah, while Cerberus was nice enough to resurrect my commander and my baby, we're not part of them. Chakwas, Garrus, Tali, and me? We follow Shepard, not the Illusive Man. And if that idiot Alenko hadn't turned the commander down on Horizon, he would've been following her, too. None of us are for Cerberus, especially not the commander. We're here because she's the only person in the galaxy that can stop the Collectors. Even your boss knows this."

A long silence stretched between them, punctuated with intermittent blips and bleeps from the mineral radar. "And how does that change things?" Kelly asked tightly, arms now folded close to her body. "Do you see me as only Cerberus?"

Joker sighed heavily, not bothering to hide his irritation. "See, this is exactly why I prefer being by myself. I didn't care when it was professional cause you were doing me a huge favor, but now? How the hell am I supposed to process this? Relationships are always meant to die, especially on this ship, or did Shepard dying and consequently losing Alenko not occur to you as too coincidental?"

"Is this what you were planning on telling me in the observatory?"

"No," Joker shook his head, his features softening. iMight as well./i "I...I guess I do give a damn. I don't like it, but I can't control it, either. Not when you're only twenty or so feet from me. This isn't a confession of true love or whatever; I wouldn't know what that felt like with a human, anyway." He shifted in his chair before resuming. She smiled slightly at his last sentence, and this encouraged him. "I like you, Kelly. You've done a lot for me and I don't just mean in the physical sense. Shepard's always going on and on about purpose and a place in the universe; I used to think she was nuts. I always assumed my place and purpose was right here at this helm, at the head of the best ship in the whole of the universe, both discovered and undiscovered. I never once imagined I could want for much more than this."

"And now?" Kelly ventured carefully.

"Now?" Joker shrugged. "I don't know. This stuff is pretty new to me. I'll need time to think about things."

"Should I leave you, then?"

Joker looked at her, this time the one to search the other's face. Behind him, the mineral scanner continued to detect resources and EDI continued being EDI. The normal things he'd grown accustomed to, had become comfortable with. Never were they more noticeable than now with Kelly looking down at him expectantly. "No," he said quietly. "No, I don't want you to leave. I'm...I'm sorry. About everything. I'm a putz, Dad always said I was. Hell, I think Mom did, too, someti--" His words were cut off as Kelly dropped to her knees, seized his face between her hands, and silenced his babbling with a deep kiss. Joker felt himself relaxing beneath her lips, his mind so far from his previous activities he could no longer hear the beeping or see the faint blue glow from EDI's port.

After many lingering moments, Kelly withdrew slightly. "When we dock next, I want you to meet me in the ladies' shower. I'll make sure we're left completely alone."

"Certainly won't have to worry about Jack barging in, will we?" Joker quipped, still a bit delirious from the kiss. Kelly chuckled, resting her forehead against his, the motion dislodging his cap. "I think the commander said we'd be going planetside soon. Should I just come down?"

"Yes. I'll be waiting for you," Kelly replied, kissing him lightly again and standing. Joker watched her leave the cockpit, a goofy half-smile on his face. EDI made a noise similar to a human clearing of the throat, causing him to glance at her.

"I imagine this will be more entertaining for you than what you normally do, Mr. Moreau," she remarked dryly. Joker smirked.

"Jealous, Overlord?"

"Impossible. I would have to possess human irrationality first."

"Cleverrrr."

"I thought so."

********

The crew deck was quiet when Joker stepped out of the elevator; still, it didn't stop him from looking left to right furtively, just in case. Satisfied with the granted silence of the floor, he made his way to the women's restroom. The door slid open quietly to admit him, closing when he'd stepped far enough from its sensors, and cast a quick look about.

It was empty, lights still glaring overhead and the showers dry as a bone. For a second he wondered if Chambers had been leading him on when the door opened again and he felt Kelly's hands sneak up his shoulders. He gave a shiver, then turned to face her. She was wearing a rather attractive blue robe that looked to be of asari craftsmanship. Or would that be craftsiwomen/iship? Didn't matter. The garment itself did little to disguise the fact she was completely naked beneath it.

"I feel overdressed," he joked lightly, gesturing to his flight uniform. Kelly grinned slyly, fingers curling in the collar of his top.

"Could always fix that, you know," she purred, leaning in to nip at the side of his neck. Joker gave a tiny squeak, despite wanting to maintain his composure, and gratefully melted in her embrace. She supported him as she continued to rain butterfly kisses over his skin, smiling against his skin every time he gave another little whimper. Her hands slipped beneath his top, caressing his belly and turning his tiny sighs into throaty moans.

To his great regret, Kelly stepped away and moved passed him to the showers. He struggled to bring his mind to focus when the water began to run from all three heads and Kelly's hands had returned to help him disrobe.

Joker typically had some difficulty standing long enough to shower and would often have to drag a steel chair into the men's room with him. He hated having to sit while he showered, but what else could he do? Cerberus upgrades or not, supporting his own weight was still complicated. With this in mind, he wondered how Kelly was going to solve this little dilemma. The answer presented itself when he saw the walls of the shower parition slightly, a thin sheet of metal sliding out from between the cracks. He stared at it dumbly.

"Do both showers do that?" he asked, pointing awkwardly as Kelly lifted his shirt over his head. She put his top aside, then followed the angle of his finger.

"Yes. I'm surprised you didn't know about it sooner," Kelly replied, genuinely perplexed. Joker's face dissolved into scowling lines.

"I get the feeling EDI forgot to mention it to me. I've been dragging a damn chair down from the mess for nothing all this time?"

Kelly smothered a small giggle. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that, Jeff. I thought someone would've told you about it. The Illusive Man knew you'd have difficulty and --"

Joker put his hand over her mouth lightly, shaking his head. "Don't talk about that ass. He kills my boner." Kelly's lips twisted under his hand and he heard her give a short bark of smothered laughter. "Maybe if we survive this mission and he eats some humble pie, I'll thank him for it. Till then..." He shifted his hand to cup her cheek instead. "I believe we have a date in here."

"Indeed we do, Mr. Moreau," Kelly replied smoothly, her hands slipping down his bare chest to undo his flight pants. "And you're still wearing entirely too much."

"Lemme sit down and we'll fix that."

"Yes sir, Lieutenent Moreau, sir," Kelly savored his military title as she had his first name. It had the desired effect. Very few people referred to him as such; the higher rank compared to her yeoman status was like an instant aphrodisiac. Not that he'd needed much encouragement. Still felt awesome, though.

Within moments, they were positioned beneath the triple streams of hot water, steam rising up to fill the entirety of the women's restroom. Kelly had Joker sit down on the thin, but sturdy, bench before producing a sea sponge loofah and bottle of body wash. She stood between his knees as she soaped up the sponge, bending slightly to begin a lazy trail of suds over his shoulders. He stared at her face the entire time, green eyes becoming steadily more passion-hazed as she gently bathed him.

Joker gave a small jerk when Kelly's drifting sponge found its way closer to his groin, swooping in the dip formed by his hip and inner thigh. Kelly smiled coyly up at him as she knelt and began to gingerly glide the loofah over his legs. He watched, breath caught somewhere between apprehension of an injury and how the sensations dangerously rocketed through him. He gave a sharp, surprised laugh when she lifted his foot and scrubbed its sole. "Ticklish, Mr. Moreau?" Kelly teased, wedging the sponge between his splayed toes and giggling when he squirmed.

"That's just imean/i, Chambers!" Joker managed, fighting to not reclaim his leg and disrupt the mood. Or risk a fracture. Either would ruin the atmosphere Kelly was crafting with that little sponge of hers. Kelly eased up on the tormenting motions, returning to simply soaping up his legs.

She kept this up, seeming to enjoy the simplistic action of bathing another, of focusing all attention on their body and how she could make them feel. Joker certainly wasn't arguing. These suicide missions often left a person pretty stressed. Spending time naked with a pretty girl who didn't mind your crippled and creaky ass was just the thing the doctor ordered. The endless supply of hot water streaming over his bare head was certainly pleasurable as well. Joker sighed contentedly, slouching slightly on the bench as Kelly washed each of his arms in turn. He was fine being limp (for the most part) in her hands. She'd demonstrated how careful she could be many times already; her holding his limbs up and washing them gently was as far removed from dangerous as closing one's eyes.

Kelly sat down beside him again, her body leaning in close against his arm enticingly. Joker rolled his head against the wall to look at her, a lazy smile on his face. She rested her chin on his shoulder, eyes meeting his amid the steam. "I'm such an ass," Joker murmured suddenly, his voice light with a deprecating chuckle. Kelly lifted herself up slightly to drop a kiss on his nose.

"It's okay," she assured him. "I like it."

"What do you mean -- oh."

Kelly giggled, sliding her arms around his shoulders and giving him a gentle squeeze. Joker shifted carefully on the bench, straining to pull one leg up to curl around Kelly's bottom. She helped him patiently, then nestled into the crook created by his bent knee, arms returning to coil around his neck. He leaned in, capturing her lips in a long kiss, his hands snaking up the inside of her thighs and lifting her legs to rest on either side of his hips. Kelly scooted closer till they met, pelvis to pelvis, their kiss deepening as passion rose. He dragged his fingers down her spine, causing her to arch into his aggressive touch, her own fingers cupping the back of his skull and kissing him so roughly she knew they would both come away with bruised lips. Neither seemed to care. All of the anger and dissention they might've felt from the last incident manifested in their frantic pawing of each other's bodies.

Water streamed over their joined lips, slicking up an already wet kiss and accentuating the very vocal sounds emanating from them both. Kelly, for her part, could feel him pressing against her, twitching and throbbing with anticipation. Joker, on his end, could feel the heat flowing from her, causing him to groan almost painfully into the kiss. He released her mouth, nudging her jaw until she threw her head back to expose her neck. His hungry kisses traveled to the hollow of her throat, sometimes pausing to deliver a brief, urgent suckle. Kelly felt her heart thundering in her chest, her own desire for him steadily mounting.

She gave a soft gasp when she felt Joker's hand slip between them, the back of his probing fingers sliding wetly between her folds. It was no longer a question of whether she was ready for him; all that mattered was whether she'd be able to stand the teasing before he finally buried himself inside her again. Still, she couldn't deny how incredible his flickering digits felt against her sex. When he tried to push into her, she gasped again. Reluctantly, she pulled her hips back to give him more space, lustful eyes drifting down to watch as his fingers disappeared inside her.

Joker's own gaze was locked on his hand, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he observed how she seemed to swallow his finger, wincing slightly when her muscles tightened around him. Knowing she was staring at the same thing seemed to heighten his already aching arousal; he wasn't sure how long he'd be able to wait. Thankfully, she seemed just as uncertain. Deciding it was enough, Joker withdrew his fingers from her, admiring the length of thick moisture that clung to them like slick webbing. He displayed his hand to her, murmuring appreciation. Unabashed, Kelly leaned forward and enveloped his fingers in her mouth. Joker's green eyes widened considerably as she suckled his fingers clean, vivid eyes staring coyly into his. "Damn..." he managed when she pulled away. She grinned at him and winked. That did it. Waiting was no longer an option.

Gripping her hips, Joker coaxed Kelly to move closer. She pressed his erection down slightly, aiming for her opening as she scooted near. She lifted her pelvis up a bit, sliding over him in one smooth motion. He closed his eyes against the heat that surrounded him, giving a single groan of satisfaction as she settled herself over him. Carefully, Kelly linked her ankles behind him, bringing them even closer together. She put her arms around his neck again as he supported her rear in both hands, his hips beginning to move gingerly. Kelly sighed, lost in the pleasure of their joining and the feel of his breath on her neck, gently rising up to meet each of his thrusts.

Their lovemaking had to be slow and cautious, but neither seemed to mind. It became far more pleasurable this way, enabling them to feel every available inch of the other's body. Joker reveled in the sensation of her small bosom rubbing up and down his well-formed chest, the concave of her soft white throat beneath his lips, and the overwhelming scent of her encompassing him. Her bottom was firm, fitting perfectly in his wide palms as he moved slowly inside her.

Kelly, for her part, was busy savoring the feel of his taut muscles flexing beneath her arms, the gentle pulse of his erection inside her, the firm grip he held over her backside. How many times had she snuck a peek at those hands of his, moving with a kind of inhuman speed over the helm's console and wished they were caressing her skin? It had taken a great deal of courage to initiate that first night. EDI's suggestion had been a complete lie. The AI had barely said a word or two to Kelly since the beginning of the mission. It just seemed the most convenient excuse. She had the feeling, though, that Joker wouldn't care either way what had spurned her, so long as the end result was the same.

They remained locked together for many long moments before Joker felt himself tense inside her. Kelly felt it as well, her breath catching in anticipation. His end would bring about hers with little effort, as it had always done. Joker held her against him as he came, breathing out shakily into the space between her neck and shoulder. Kelly held as tightly to him as his condition allowed, shuddering in his arms as she joined his release. After a few minutes, Joker went limp, his grip lessening and his head becoming heavy on her shoulder. Kelly angled her head to kiss his ear, earning a tired groan from him. She chuckled softly, briefly forgetting that was one of his sweet spots.

Joker lifted his head, becoming aware of their surroundings again. He squinted up into the water's triple spray, spluttering when water ran into his mouth when he opened it to speak. Kelly laughed and eased herself off him. He ran a hand over his damp hair, flicking his neck sharply to send droplets over Kelly's retreating back. She yelped, stumbling as she moved towards the shower taps. The water ceased, leaving the pair in a steamy, low-hanging fog. Joker stayed on the bench while she fetched towels, playfully rubbing his head with a smaller one until he snatched it from her hands with a feigned look of grumpy indignation. She giggled as she dried herself off, then bent to help him with his legs.

Minutes later, they were back on their feet and getting dressed. Joker grimaced as his flight top stuck to his steam-dampened skin, making it difficult to pull over his chest without Kelly's assistance. Kelly draped the used towels over the rails beside the sinks, then linked her arm around Joker's back to support him out of the bathroom. They moved towards the elevators in comfortable silence, parting hesitantly at the doors.

"I have to take care of some things down here before I come back up to the CIC," Kelly said, her voice quiet so as not to alert anyone in the crew quarters. Joker nodded. "Would you like me to bring you up something to eat?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice, thanks," Joker replied, his smile a bit lopsided. Kelly leaned in for a quick kiss, her fingers sliding over his jaw as she pulled away. She kept her smiling eyes on him as she walked backward towards the crew quarters, giving him a little wave when it opened and she'd disappeared through. Joker allowed himself a secret, pleased smile, then turned to limp into the elevator.

EDI was gently glowing in the cockpit when Joker returned. She was silent as he slipped into the pilot's chair, wriggling a bit as he got comfortable. He gazed over the helm console, noting the most recent artifact the commander had brought home was still being tested. He looked over at EDI's port. "Have you told the commander about this?" he asked.

"Of course," EDI replied matter-of-factly. "I have instructed them to take the shuttle for their next assignment. I believe they'll be leaving shortly."

"Hope the damn thing doesn't crash," Joker remarked lightly. "I don't think it's really stable enough to hold that many people."

EDI said nothing in response, continuing to flicker serenely on her port. He realized she didn't have to say anything, for Shepard's voice sounded over the comm at that moment, informing him she'd be going planetside.

"Take care of the Normandy, Joker," Shepard instructed.

"You got it, Commander. Have a safe trip."

He watched as the shuttle departed from the cargo bay, then settled back to wait for the new IFF data to finish compiling. His eyes were just drifting closed when a violent shudder went through the ship. A shadow fell over the overhead viewports, drawing Joker's gaze heavenward.

"Oh, Jesus Christ..."

- cont


	5. Finale

Waiting. How often had he spent countless missions waiting? Before, it hadn't mattered. He'd simply catch a few hours' sleep or occupy himself doing checks. Very rarely had he spent the "free time" wringing his hands and listening with such intensity for the comm to come alive with the commander's voice that his ears actually hurt from being piqued for so long.

Joker cast a wild glance at the screens around him. The ship below was packed with Collectors, all of them literally gunning for Shepard's blood. Even though they'd split into teams to distract the Collectors from Shepard's true purpose, he could still hear clipped reports coming over the comm that made his teeth stand on edge. Tali roasting in the vents, begging for the commander's help to relieve the heat and enable her progress. Garrus seemed to be the only one having any kind of fun. Even Shepard's radio chatter was strained. He didn't like it when she got stressed. It was never a good sign when the backbone of the ship became harried. Miranda sounded extremely put off as well, letting out a constant stream of accented curses that accompanied her rifle fire.

And still no report on the crew.

Joker ground the heels of his hands into his eyes and groaned loudly in exasperation. He hadn't stopped beating himself up over the infiltration. Given command of the ship and he'd let it transmit their location. That damned IFF had been responsible for the signal, but Joker should've been more persistant in EDI's handling of the device. Why hadn't he insisted she scrub the files? Arrogance, that's what had done it. He'd always been so damned arrogant, about his skills and his absolute faith that everything would work out in their favor.

_Yeah, that worked out_ real _well when the first Normandy got blasted and Shepard died!_

He never talked about it. He didn't even like _thinking_ about it. Thankfully, the commander had never broached the subject and he'd certainly never opened it. She was remarkably sensitive to his ways, which had made losing her the first time so hard. Having everything that had given him purpose wiped out in a matter of minutes? That could easily happen here, even with the upgrades and huge team backing the commander. This was bigger than Saren and his geth. Bigger than that bastard Sovereign camping out on the Citadel Tower.

He stared out at the massive, slowly rotating Collector base and shivered violently. It was a beast that threatened more than just one part of the galaxy. With their connection to the Reapers, this threatened far, far more. How the hell did that damned Council not see the danger here? Oh yeah, that's right. They never listened to the commander! Joker gave a short bark of bitter laughter. Even when Sovereign was waving hello through the tower windows, they'd stubbornly gone on to say the Reapers were a myth.

Some big fucking myth!

Just then, Shepard's voice sounded over the comm. Joker was on it faster than ever, his nerves on high alert and his muscles tense. "Joker here! What's the situation?"

"We found the crew," Shepard replied. "Is there any way you could do a sweep for them?"

"Not without having you guys come back to the starting point, no," Joker replied regretfully. He glanced back at the console's screen. They were pretty deep in the base now; backtracking would only delay the mission. He grit his teeth angrily, ready to curse loudly when the commander's voice sounded again.

"I'm sending Mordin back with them. Look for them! Shepard out."

The comm went dead again. At least now Joker would have something to do. He sped into action, turning the _Normandy_'s damaged bulk back towards the drop-off point and beaming the exterior lights across the base's hull to light his way. The ship creaked in protest as he guided her closer, knowing the survivors probably wouldn't be space-ready. There was a small amount of atmosphere closer to the base's surface; he'd have to bank on that to give them enough air to make it back onto the ship.

Settled as close as he could get, Joker sat back and waited. His fingers rapped nervously on his thigh even as his eyes darted from screen to screen, readout to readout. It seemed like hours before EDI came alive and drew his attention to the multiple figures approaching the ship.

"Open the airlock, EDI, I'll get them," Joker instructed briskly, sliding out of the pilot's chair and making his way to the airlock. It hissed open as he neared it, permitting a hot blast of stale air to strike him in the face as he shielded his eyes, squinting to see the salarian professor and the crew. There! Mordin was ushering the stumbling crew members towards the _Normandy_, his gun pointed behind them in case any of the drones followed in their wake. The first to board were the engineering team, then Chakwas, a handful of crew Joker had never gotten the names of, then --

"Kelly!" he breathed, stooping slightly to help her into the ship. She looked an absolute mess, green eyes wild and normally perky face a map of terror. She gazed at him numbly, fingers catching his skin awkwardly as she allowed him to half-lift her into the airlock's short corridor. "Close the door, EDI, everyone's in," Joker called as Mordin slipped past him, his long-legged strides taking him to the tech lab. The airlock slid closed, sealing itself as Joker guided Kelly to the cockpit proper.

He eased her into his chair carefully, then cautiously lowered himself to the floor beside it. Kelly curled up like a terrified child in the chair, arms around her shoulders and her knees touching her chin. _Dammit, I'm no good at this!_ Joker hovered a hand close to her red hair, wondering what to do to comfort her. She looked so timid, nothing at all like the confident woman who'd enabled him to share more of himself than he would've on his own. _Can't lose another one. Not to these bastards!_

"Kelly?" Joker ventured softly. Her eyes rolled towards him, huge like a little girl's. "You're all right now. The commander saved you."

"I'm not all right," she whispered, fingers creeping into her short hair, her gaze becoming distant. "It was...horrible. I watched people die. They were melted. _Melted!_" Her voice rose harshly as the memory assaulted her. Tears formed and streamed down her cheeks. Joker felt his heart jerk in his chest. He looked back to the readouts. They were still venturing closer to the power center. _C'mon, Commander! Blow the place to hell and let's get the fuck outta here!_

Kelly whimpered and Joker turned back to her. Still curled up in a tight ball, her eyes still huge and traumatized. _Fuck. I gotta do something._ Joker clumsily rose to his feet. "Keep an eye on the comm, EDI. I'll...I'll be right back."

"Be careful, Jeff."

"Thanks, Mom," Joker muttered over his shoulder as he hobbled out of the cockpit and down the bridge. He rode the elevator down to the crew deck, thinking that maybe the doctor would have something for Kelly's nerves. He moved towards the medlab, one hand lifting to coax the door open, and stepped inside. Chakwas was in a similar state as Kelly, only she seemed to be trying to divert her terror into more productive ways. Various crew members lay on the beds, many of them holding their heads and moaning. Chakwas was doling out sedatives to the worst cases, soothing them with kind words as she administered to them. When Joker came closer to her, she turned to him.

"Jeff! Thank God you were here!" she exclaimed breathlessly, hugging him about his shoulders. Joker hugged her back with one arm, happy to not have lost her as well. She held onto him for a few moments, then withdrew to look into his face. "What is it, dear?"

"Chambers, Doc. She's...she's a mess. Worse than these guys," he gestured to the assortment of rocking and groaning people. Chakwas had the professionalism not to question why Kelly wasn't down there with the others and hastily drew up another dose of sedative.

"Take me to her, Jeff. I can help her," she assured him, squeezing his upper arm kindly. Joker nodded, then the two left the medlab and hurried back to the elevator. Chakwas rushed ahead of him once they reached the bridge, crouching beside the trembling yeoman and whispering warmly to her. "Easy, sweetheart," she murmured, gingerly pulling one of Kelly's arms closer to her and straightening it over the armrest. Joker hovered behind his chair, watching anxiously. Kelly winced slightly when the needle pierced her skin, happy to return her arm back around her shoulders when Chakwas released her.

The doctor stood, leaned in slightly to check Kelly's pupils, then straightened again. "Should we move her so you can return to the helm?"

"EDI has it," Joker replied quietly. "I can't lift her and I doubt you could, either."

"Ken is doing fairly well; he could?"

"No, leave her alone for a bit. I think...I don't know what I think," Joker finished lamely. "I think it comforts her to be in my chair."

"I think so, too," Chakwas agreed, glancing at him. He continued to gaze down at Kelly's curled up form, unaware of his friend's observant stare. She took his elbow lightly, pulling him from the chair and back into the main CIC. Joker let himself be led away, his eyes lingering on the back of his chair until he stumbled a bit on the way down the bridge.

Chakwas stopped at the rear of the CIC station, then began to speak very softly. "I had suspected something was going on between you and Yeoman Chambers, Jeff, but I hadn't suspected it had gone this far. What's going on?"

Joker seemed to consider whether or not he should explain. He knew it would eventually get out, if it hadn't already. Still, the idea of opening up, even to the doctor, caused his voice to catch in his throat. He swallowed thickly, glanced briefly back towards the cockpit, then sighed heavily. "I don't know what this is. It started out, uhm, professional. Didn't stay that way, obviously."

"I understand some of Chambers' duties involve the mental wellness of the crew, but this sounds physical," Chakwas observed wisely, crossing her arms loosely. Joker averted his eyes guiltily.

"I didn't start it," he insisted. "I was doing my thing and suddenly she's there offering to -- help me with...things."

"I see."

_This is like explaining your sex life to your mom!_ Joker sighed inwardly, then continued. "It hasn't been going on for a long time. Maybe a month or two. I kinda rejected her two weeks ago and things stopped. Until last night, anyway."

"You were together before the Collectors came?"

"I wasn't distracted," Joker replied quickly. "I was already at the helm when the commander left. Kelly was down in the crew deck. I...I saw her get dragged away by those things. I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop and help." His voice became strained, cracking slightly beneath his guilty conscience. "I watched everyone get snatched by those bastards. All I could do was hobble around and crawl in ducts that made me want to die. But I had to do something, I had to protect the _Normandy_. I can't fight, but I can fly. Without this ship, I'm less than useless."

"You did what you had to do, Jeff, never doubt that," Chakwas assured him gently, stroking his shoulder. "Without you and EDI, we all would've been lost to more than the Collectors."

"I had to do something," he repeated weakly, lifting sad green eyes to the doctor. "I couldn't lose another one. And I'm sure as hell not losing this one." His expression hardened as he turned back to the cockpit and ambled up the bridge. Chakwas followed him, starting when Joker bent and shakily hoisted the unconscious Kelly into his arms. His legs shook under him, his face contorted from the effort, as he shifted haltingly to the navigator's station behind the helm's chair. He arranged Kelly in the chair carefully, touched her face briefly with his fingertips, then returned to his station.

"EDI, how're we doing?" he demanded briskly, his focus entirely on the mission at hand.

"The fight seems to be going well, but the commander has not checked in since the last time," EDI reported, pulling up the map of the base on the main screen. "I fear things have become quite tense."

"Yeah, could say that again," Joker muttered, fingers flying over his console. Thankfully, EDI didn't rise to the obvious response and instead worked in conjuction to his commands. "Can we get through to Shepard?"

"Negative. All communications have become blocked. I can reach the ground team, however. They're on their way back to the ship."

"We'd better get ready for them, then." Joker twisted in his seat to look back at Chakwas, who was beside Kelly at the navi station. "You might wanna start clearing out the medbay, Doc. I expect some of the ground team will have injuries."

Chakwas nodded briskly and rose. She was at the junction between the cockpit and the bridge when she paused and turned. "What of Yeoman Chambers?"

"She can stay. Go on, it'll be fine," Joker assured her. "She'll probably want to be here when the commander gets back, anyway. Go!"

"Be careful up here, Jeff," Chakwas said before she disappeared down the bridge and into the elevator. A violent jerk shook the _Normandy_ suddenly, causing Joker to strike the armrest of his chair. He felt the distinct snap of his ribs and snarled from the pain. The pain gave him more focus as he struggled to shift the _Normandy_ into a more acceptable position. Once the commander and her team got out, they had to haul ass and fast. There'd be time for finesse once they were out of range of the explosion.

_And other things._ he thought with a quick backwards glance at Kelly.

"I can see the ground team, Jeff. Opening the airlock," EDI announced. Seconds later, he felt the ship rock as multiple pairs of armored feet thundered in, accompanied by a mingle of voices and commands. Immediately, Miranda was at his side, demanding a report on Shepard's whereabouts. Joker reacted quickly to her request, locating the commander and her team on the readout. Miranda cursed briefly. They were still too far in and communications remained silent.

Together, they watched the screen, bodies tensed and nerves taut. Many long agonizing minutes passed before the telltale crackle of communications buzzed in Joker's ear. His hand flew up to it. "Commander! Come in! Christ, do you copy?! Don't do this, Shepard....c'mon..."

"We're here, Joker. You ready to get the hell outta here?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Get the ship around; they'll have to make a jump for it," Miranda instructed before bolting out the cockpit. Joker reared hard to port, spinning the _Normandy_ towards the end of the base. It wasn't long before he spied the three figures darting out of the base, Collectors hot on their heels. "Shit!" Joker pushed himself up and out of his chair, grabbing Miranda's discarded rifle as he passed into the airlock corridor.

_This is gonna hurt._ Joker brought the butt of the rifle up to his shoulder, took aim, and let loose a spray of bullets just over the retreating team's heads. He took down several of the Collectors, sending their lifeless bodies over the edge of the base to tumble into the atmosphere. The kickback shuddered through him, followed by sharp pain as his bones were split from the force. He held on, knowing if he gave into the pain Shepard and the others would get swarmed.

One by one, the team leapt from the edge of a crumbling platform, landing awkwardly on either side of Joker, then turning to watch anxiously for Shepard. The commander darted nimbly between the rapidly deteriorating platforms, dodging the hail of fire that flew over her head from the mass of Collectors spilling from the base behind her. Her feet left solid ground as she threw herself at the ship, hands reaching out for the airlock's ledge.

Contact. Shepard clawed desperately at the ledge, her face splitting into a relieved smile when Tali bent and hauled the commander up. Joker fired a few more times at the Collectors as the other three darted inside, then followed just as the exterior airlock sealed. He raced as fast as he could back to the helm, barking at EDI to fire up the engines as he did so. The _Normandy_ swerved dangerously, peeling away from the base's surface and bolting through the thin atmosphere.

"Brace yourselves!" Joker cried to the assembly behind him as the shockwave from the explosion propelled the frigate into space. He heard many of them falling to the floor, even more yelping as their bodies struck the unforgiving edges of the CIC station before they fell as well. Joker guided the ship out of the mass effect field and through the slowly-tumbling vessels of those who'd come before. The relay flashed crimson ahead of them and he punched the speed, forcing the damaged frigate into the arc of red light. The world sped up around them, all colors and light, then -- silence.

Joker felt his breath leave him in a long sigh as he flopped back in his chair, hands limp on the console. Behind him, he heard Garrus give a whoop of triumph, spurring the others to follow suit. Shepard limped up behind Joker's chair, her hand coming up to thump him appreciatively on the shoulder.

"Best damn pilot in the galaxy," she complimented wearily. "And you're all mine."

"Yes, ma'am!" Joker replied with a half-laugh. "What a ride, huh? Anyone wanna go again?"

That earned him a chorus of protests from the team and finally, disbelieving laughter. Funny how people often laughed when crisises passed. Joker couldn't very well blame them, though. His first impulse had been to make a crack at the situation, after all. Still, it was good to hear everyone's voice. Knowing they'd all made it out alive was worth a thousand words, maybe more. He looked back at Kelly secretively, a tired smile passing across his features.

"'Shepard' is right..."

*******

Hours later, Joker found himself at Kelly's bedside, her small hand enclosed in his. She was still unconscious (how she could've slept through that he'd never know), but Chakwas had declared her stable before departing to treat the others, leaving the unlikely couple to themselves. Thankfully, if anyone had noticed the yeoman in the navigator's chair earlier, nothing had been said. He had to give that to the crew: they were all quite respectful of each other's privacy.

His eyes locked on her sleeping face, Joker stroked her hand between his palms absently. He didn't want to think about what it had to have been like. Tali had given him the details of the crew's and colonists' captivity, describing in horror the pods they'd been held in. When she told him what happened to the one colonist from Horizon, he'd cast anxious eyes to Kelly, mutely thanking Shepard for being so proactive in getting the crew back. Without that, the ship would've remained empty. For all his loner qualities, Joker still liked the _idea_ of having other people around. It was somehow soothing, knowing you weren't completely alone.

Kelly stirred a bit on the bed, her eyes screwing up as if in pain. Joker drew closer, peering into her face with concern. When her eyes fluttered open and turned to him, he felt his shoulders lighten, released from the anxiety that had plagued him since things had calmed down. "Hey," he whispered softly, giving her hand a squeeze. She blinked a few times, her gaze moving around the medlab slowly before returning to his face. Immediately, tears began to trail down her cheeks. Joker laid his fingers over her trembling mouth lightly, shushing her gently. "It's okay. It's over now. You're safe."

"Oh!" she managed, her voice catching on a sob. Joker moved closer, pulling her up as he did so. She pressed against his chest, shivering as he embraced her tightly. He held her as she sobbed into his shirt, his expression hard. The instinct to run away from the situation was strong; he pushed it down with an internal snarl, reminding himself he'd already run away once. That had been enough. She deserved better, especially now. His features softened as he bowed his face into her hair, ignoring the strange chemical odor emitting from the strands. However, it gave him an idea and he parted from her slightly.

"Hey, I've got an idea," he murmured, stroking his thumb across her chin. "C'mon." He coaxed her off the bed, an arm around her shoulders as he led her out of the medbay. A few errant crew members were scattered about, discussing their experience amongst themselves. They glanced at Joker and Kelly as they passed, but said nothing. Some nodded towards Joker in silent appreciation; he gave those acknowledgements brief smiles, his mind focused on making Kelly feel better.

They rounded the corner, Joker gently guiding her towards the ladies' restroom. She didn't seem to be all that aware of what was going on even as they entered the bathroom. Joker searched the wall for the switch that would produce the benches. A small control panel was situated beside the showers; he kept Kelly at his side as he punched in the right codes to expose the bench and start the showers.

As the water warmed up and steam began to pour into the room proper, Joker carefully removed Kelly's soiled flight suit. Tossing them into the refuse bin, he disrobed as well and took her by the hand again. The second the warm water struck her skin, she seemed to relax, sitting down without protest when Joker coerced her onto the bench. He found a spare set of shampoo and conditioner bottles in the corner of the shower, scooping them up and returning to where Kelly sat with her eyes closed beneath the water stream. For a second, he sat behind her motionless, as if unsure how to go about what he was planning. Shrugging, he thought it best to go with his instincts and squeezed a quarter-sized amount of shampoo into his palm. A little unceremoniously, he plunked the globule of thick liquid onto her head, grimacing slightly as it slipped down her wet hair messily. Then, with a little more finesse, he began to work the shampoo into her hair, smiling when she gave a soft sigh. It was a start.

He took care not to scratch her scalp with his nails as he slid his fingers through her soapy hair. Her back had lost its tension and was curved comfortably, indicating he'd done something right. Encouraged, Joker moved his fingers around, massaging her scalp gingerly. Suds ran down his forearms and peppered the bench with islands of foam. The shampoo itself smelled strongly of some exaggerated floral scent, nothing at all like the minty aroma he'd come to associate with her. She didn't seem to notice it, though. He suspected the sensations were registering more in her mind than whatever random shampoo he used. Worked for him.

Feeling it had been enough, Joker reached up and fetched the one removable shower head from the wall. As he rinsed her hair out, he began to understand why people liked this sort of thing. There was something about a person fawning over you, especially when it wasn't out of pity. Kelly had always been the one to do everything for him, focusing on making him feel good at the expense of her own enjoyment. Well, now it was his turn to return the favor. Even though they were naked, he didn't feel the same need to initiate sexual contact. He doubted she would've wanted something like that after her ordeal, anyway. It didn't matter, anyway.

Glancing about, he spied the body wash she'd used only the night before and grabbed it. Putting it aside, Joker finished rinsing Kelly's hair and began to clumsily apply the opague conditioner. For a few moments, he occupied himself with crafting funny shapes in her hair, then stopped when he realized it probably wasn't the best time for that kind of stupidity. Composing himself again, he picked up the body wash and squeezed a bit across her sloped shoulders. Her skin prickled beneath his hands as he began to lather up her back. She gave a soft appreciative murmur that was lost under the roar of the water, though Joker was pretty sure it was a good sign to keep going. He kneaded her muscles gently, fingertips slick from the soap coating her skin. Her back curved further as she all but touched her forehead to the bench. The forward slump of her body gave him another idea.

He encircled her waist with his arms and tugged, urging her to scoot back a bit. She did, eventually coming into contact with his chest. Cradling her against him, Joker started washing her arms slowly. Her head rolled into the space between his neck and shoulder, eyes closed in her contentment. He rested his cheek against the side of her head, ignoring the slick conditioner that still coated her hair that clung to his beard. He linked their fingers together, working the suds between them in the process before sliding back up her arm. He repeated this with her other arm, then positioned them on either side of his thighs. She arched against him slightly when his palms caressed her belly. Then her arms came up to hug his closer to her. Yes, sex was the last thing on her mind. Right now, she just needed to be close to someone. Close to him.

With great care, Joker bent his legs on either side of her, holding her willingly captive in his arms. She drew her knees up in response, allowing him to cross his ankles over her feet. He angled his head closer to hers, beginning to rock her gently.

"You're safe now," he assured her, his lips at her ear. "We both are."

They remained locked together in silence, the steady hum of the showers the only sound.

********

"Place is a mess," Shepard remarked grimly, tossing another chunk of debris to the side. She, along with Joker, Garrus, Tali, and Samara were in the cargo hold attempting to straighten things up. Joker couldn't do much in the way of heavy lifting, instead focusing on taking stock of whatever hadn't been vaporized into space dust by the invading Collector "eye" at the beginning of the attack. Tali was beside him, mentally counting all of the usable salvage that the others placed near her.

"This will take a long time to repair," Samara said, biotically lifting a large pillar of steel from the floor and positioning it against the wall. "Do you think the Council will allow us to dock at the Citadel?"

"I don't see why not," Shepard shrugged, stepping over Tali's salvage pile to perch beside Joker on a generator. "There's no way they can deny the Reaper involvement now. Not with this." She gestured to the Reaper schematic Joker had given her. "EDI also has a wealth of data just waiting to be reviewed. And she has backups in case the Council gets cute."

"I made sure of that, Commander," Joker interjected. Shepard gave him a brisk pat to his shoulder, then slid off the generator. She stretched expansively, yawning.

"Tired, Commander?" Garrus asked. Shepard nodded, still yawning a bit. "You go rest. We'll finish up."

"Yeah, you've done enough for us tonight, Shepard," Tali chimed in. "Thank you."

"Rest well, Commander," Samara offered politely when Shepard departed for her quarters. Joker watched them continue cleaning up for a few minutes, then excused himself back. Understanding his need to be at the helm, no one objected.

The CIC was quiet when Joker emerged from the elevator. He smiled a bit when he spied Kelly at her station. The time they'd spent in the shower had revived her mind enough to return to work. He touched the small of her back lightly as he approached her. She started a bit, then smiled warmly at him. "Going back to the helm?" she asked in a low voice despite the overall emptiness of the bridge.

"Thought about it," he replied, his voice equally low. Kelly blushed when his fingers began to massage her back.

"Jeff...!" she hissed, thoroughly embarassed. "I'm having a hard enough time dealing with the after-effects of being on the Collectors ship."

"You lost me there. Why should that make a difference in _that_ regard?"

Kelly leaned in closer to him. "I've developed eidetic memory." At Joker's puzzled expression, she added, "It means I have perfect memory. I've been reliving all of our nights together for hours." She smothered a giggle behind her hand, her cheeks flushed. Joker averted his eyes briefly, equally redfaced.

"I dunno," Joker drawled after a moment, inching closer until their hips touched. Kelly's blush deepened at the open contact. "Does that mean you don't want any new memories?"

"What do you think, Mr. Moreau?"

"I think that means you'll meet me in the medbay later," Joker replied, slipping his hand down to give her backside a pinch. Kelly gave a small squeak, thoroughly alarmed by his behavior. "I'll make sure the doc is elsewhere."

"Why, Mr. Moreau, are you propositioning me?" Kelly inquired coyly, batting her eyeslashes at him.

"I dunno about propositioning, but repositioning was certainly part of it."

At that, Kelly laughed openly. "You're crazy," she told him affectionately. "It's a date."

"Good." He gave her bottom a small slap as he rounded the CIC station and made his way back to the cockpit. As usual, EDI was alert. She remained silent until he'd settled comfortably in his chair.

"If you like, I can summon Dr. Chakwas from the medbay for you. Perhaps suggest another crew member needs her assistance."

"A lie?" Joker asked, quirking a brow.

"An omission," EDI corrected him. Joker laughed.

"Starting to think I'm a bad influence on you, Mom."

"Perhaps." EDI seemed to be considering her next words. "You should enjoy yourself, Jeff. Yeoman Chambers is a good woman."

"Yeah," Joker murmured, angling to look towards the CIC where Kelly continued her duties. "Yeah, I guess she is."

"Any woman who puts up with you is a good one," EDI remarked airily. Joker smirked. He had to give her that. Chuckling, he turned back to the helm.

"Set a course for the Citadel, EDI," he instructed, choosing to allow her the last word this time. "My baby needs some TLC."

"Of course."

Joker sat back with a satisfied sigh. Another galactic crisis averted, Shepard was still alive, and the _Normandy_ was in one piece.

And Jeff "Joker" Moreau would never be alone anymore.

Ever.

- end


End file.
